Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 486 The Threefold Return to Origin Qi VS The Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique (Part 2)
"I am the only one!"

Dongfang Baishi's beard and hair stood on end as he swung his sword and cleaved vertically.

The blade's aura grew longer with the wind, instantly transforming from a three-foot-long gleam of cold light into a five-foot-long blade of light, capable of cleaving rivers and seas, as cold and chilling as the autumn wind, making every hair on one's body stand on end.

Li Zhaoting focused his mind and gathered his energy, condensing it into a weapon. The Azure Sword unleashed hundreds of azure rays, gathering myriad into a thousand, with several dragon roars and phoenix cries interspersed among the layers of sword shadows.

"Boom!"

The torrents of swords and blades clashed wildly, locked in a life-or-death struggle. The overflowing internal energy shattered the cliff face, sending large chunks of rock flying and tumbling down as massive boulders weighing thousands of pounds crashed down.

Trees and grass were broken, and dust filled the sky.

Swords clashed wildly amidst the flames and smoke.

The two were completely immersed in the enlightenment of martial arts, not for the sake of fighting and winning, but only to verify each other's martial arts, and in the process of fighting, they each learned each other's moves.

Dongfang Baishi used the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique to condense two illusory bodies, and the three figures surrounded Li Zhaoting, bombarding him fiercely. One was like the biting cold wind of March, another was like a raging storm, and the third was like lightning and thunder.

The East Wind Mystic Skill, the South Fire Mystic Skill, and the North Electricity Mystic Skill cycle repeatedly, rising and falling, complementing each other.

There are no fixed moves; it's about concentrating your true energy to launch fierce attacks, combining the endurance of the East Wind Mystic Art, the intensity of the South Fire Mystic Art, and the speed of the North Lightning Mystic Art with your own martial arts experience into a complete mental technique.

The three parts return to the origin, boundless and limitless.

"Hey~"

Dongfang Baishi roared to the sky, and the two figures returned to his body. The three true energies of wind, fire, and electricity merged within his body, changing from their original cyan, red, and blue colors into transparent water droplets, their true energy crystal clear.

"Taste my Threefold Return to Origin Qi!"

Dongfang Baishi unleashed a powerful strike, "Splitting Mount Hua," aimed at Li Zhaoting's head. Li Zhaoting did not retreat an inch, and his Thunder God Dharma Image soared into the sky, wielding his sword to strike the five-zhang-long blade of light.

After exchanging blows, the residual force had not yet dissipated. Li Zhaoting formed a hand seal with his left hand, and the divine light of Buddha was ready to be unleashed.

Tathagata's Divine Light - Heavenly Buddha Descends to Earth!

With his left hand holding a flower, Dongfang Baishi used the Buddhist Bodhi Hand technique to clash with the Tathagata's divine light. This guy knew too many martial arts, too chaotic and too mixed. Even he himself didn't know how many kinds of martial arts he knew. Only by experiencing life-and-death battles and under the threat of death could he unleash his full potential.

Jianxiong watched the battle from a distance.

She was completely mesmerized.

Is this the pinnacle of combat power in the world today?

No wonder they test your internal strength foundation.

Spectators also need to be qualified.

Why do top masters often choose cliffs, seascapes, and deserts for their duels? Because the destructive power is too great; every move they make carries the power to destroy cities and fortresses.

Ordinary people, let alone watching the battle, could be torn to pieces if they get even a few feet closer to the battlefield.

Even more so are some evil spirits who are skilled in strange and bizarre sorcery. Before they are on the verge of death, they will inevitably launch a desperate attack, and who knows how many people will be harmed.

Li Zhaoting, Jian Yin, Cheng Huaixiu, Wang Shenglan, and Guan Yutian surrounded Jia Shifang. To prevent him from escaping, they had to use a scheme to burn him alive with a fire tornado, determined not to give him any chance to escape.

If someone needs care, the fear of harming them could easily cause evil spirits to flee.

If it were a Qiong Yao drama, classic scenes like "You actually think I'm a burden" would occur.

Jianxiong silently retreated several feet.

We must not interfere with this exciting duel.

Li Zhaoting was completely absorbed in his work, his sword energy raining down like rain.

Dongfang Baishi was completely absorbed in the battle, disregarding the Four Directions Sect and any past grievances or grudges, and fully enjoying the martial arts feast.

Three Kingdoms Return to Origin, Wind Sweeps Away the Building!

The Four Symbols of Heaven's Will: The Formless and Shapeless Wind God Sword!
Wind against wind, fire against fire, lightning against lightning; one integrates the four mystical arts into one, the other comprehends the four symbols of heaven to the extreme; one unleashes a five-zhang blade of light with a wave of his hand, the other condenses a three-zhang Dharma form.

At this stage of the battle, where martial arts reveal true character, the two had completely understood each other's intentions. Dongfang Baishi laughed wildly, his powerful internal energy condensing into clouds.

"Master Li did not speak, but the words 'Xiong Ba' were hidden in his mind. Let's make this the ending."

"Right on my mind!"

Three Kingdoms Return to Origin: Dominate the World!

The roar of the Eastern White Stone shook the heavens.

Before the words "Dominate the world" had even faded, the Threefold Origin Qi, which contained the essence of wind, fire, and electricity and had transformed into crystal-clear water droplets, suddenly expanded.

In the blink of an eye, the Threefold Returning Qi condensed behind Dongfang Baishi into a towering, illusory giant shadow that looked down upon all living beings. The giant shadow held a large cleaver, and the indestructible blade light was like a celestial river hanging upside down. With the momentum of tearing apart the universe and shaking the world, it slashed down at Li Zhaoting.

The Four Symbols of Heaven - Dominating All Directions!

Li Zhaoting's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and his true essence surged and boiled. Behind him, the four divine lights of wind, fire, thunder, and lightning soared into the sky, intertwining and entwining. The four divine images of wind, fire, thunder, and lightning merged into one, which was Li Zhaoting himself.

The sword trembled, wind and thunder surged, and the sounds of dragons roaring and phoenixes crying resounded through the sky, while thunderclaps shook the nine continents.

In a mere instant, the ten-foot-long blade of light that dominated the world and the sword energy that dominated all directions collided with a deafening roar.

"Boom! Crack!"

The blades and sword energy clashed and flew against each other, their unparalleled power sweeping, spreading, and tearing in all directions, completely shattering the already rugged cliff face.

Huge boulders weighing tens of thousands of kilograms rolled down the cliff, crushing everything within a radius of thirty feet—flowers, trees, stones, wood, toads, and earthworms—into dust. Smoke and dust, like a raging sea, instantly engulfed the entire mountaintop, and thick clouds soared into the sky.

Perhaps the collision was too violent, even the space itself seemed to be distorted. Jianxiong could no longer see the two figures, and could only hear the sound of swords clashing.

He didn't know how much time had passed—it could be three seconds, it could be ten minutes. Jianxiong was shaken to his core, unable to discern the flow of time, only feeling as if several years had gone by.

The smoke and dust cleared, and all was quiet.

Dongfang Baishi fell to the ground, spitting blood. Li Zhaoting sheathed his sword, his posture calm and composed. Sunlight shone on Li Zhaoting, making him appear like a deity.

"Master Li's martial arts are unparalleled, I admire him!"

Dongfang Baishi looked behind Li Zhaoting.

Ten feet behind Li Zhaoting, there was a crescent-shaped semicircle. During the clash of powerful attacks, Li Zhaoting, worried about injuring Jian Xiong, threw out the Purple Star Soft Sword. The sword energy formed a circle to block the scattered blade light and sword energy.

Even in a life-or-death struggle, Li Zhaoting still had the energy to multitask, which shows that for him, this was by no means a life-or-death situation, but rather a time when he was always at ease.

Li Zhaoting laughed and said, "Mr. Dongfang's ability to perform the Xuan Gong Fusion technique all by himself is truly eye-opening. A person like you could not possibly be a petty and despicable person. Return this Wind Qilin Jade to the Dongfang family!"

Li Zhaoting handed the Qilin Jade to Dongfang Baishi.

"Thank you very much, Master Li!"

Dongfang Baishi put away the Wind Qilin Jade and calmed his qi and blood at the edge of the cliff. When he had recovered enough, he quietly left, his body once again filled with exhaustion.

Jian Xiong asked curiously, "My lord, Dongfang Baishi doesn't seem like a bad person, why did you trick him?"

"When have I ever cheated him?"

"The Qilin Jade is the source of chaos. Everyone who wants the treasure of the Four Directions Sect will fight for the Qilin Jade. However, the Qilin Jade itself is just a jade pendant with no practical value. For Dongfang Baishi, apart from being a family heirloom, the Qilin Jade is nothing but a liability!"

"It's meant to serve as a family heirloom. You don't understand Dongfang Baishi. For him, he needs to use the achievement of finding the family heirloom to wash away his guilt!"

"What crimes are you trying to absolve?"

"Dongfang Baishi was obsessed with martial arts and devoted himself to it. He didn't care about his family or the Sifang Sect. When he reached middle age, he missed his family and found that his family had been destroyed, the Sifang Sect had been breached, and the family's keepsakes had been lost for many years. He was filled with regret and self-blame."

Finding the family heirloom and nurturing Dongfang Yu into a promising young talent are his only ways to atone for his sins.

If Dongfang Baishi hadn't gone home, these accusations would naturally not exist. Dongfang Yu had no idea that he had an uncle with superb martial arts skills and extraordinary comprehension.

Now that Dongfang Baishi has returned home and seen his house in ruins, he must bear the responsibility for these sins.

"If we don't return the Qilin Jade to him, Dongfang Baishi will never rest in peace, so why make things difficult for him?"

Li Zhaoting didn't say the second half of his sentence.

Dongfang Baishi abandoned his wife and children, and has a very troublesome son named Yi Shuihan. He will waste the rest of his life because of this, and may even be killed by Yi Shuihan.

Li Zhaoting looked down at Jianxiong.

I will go back to the Western Regions every year from now on.

We must not repeat the same mistake!
In addition, the battle with Dongfang Baishi yielded significant gains. Not only did he master the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique, but he also gained insights into the essence of the Four Directions Mysterious Technique.

Whether it's the Three-Part Return to Origin or the Four Symbols of Heaven, it's all the same.

In essence, they all utilize the primordial energy of heaven and earth to unleash techniques far exceeding the foundation of internal strength. They can also leverage complementary forces to promote each other within the body, rapidly enhancing true essence and maintaining its abundance.

Even if Li Zhaoting faints, as long as his meridians and acupoints are not completely shattered, he can use the Heavenly Rotation and Earthly Shifting Acupoints Technique and the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique to restore his true essence.

It is impossible to achieve even "one-tenth of one's strength".

Even if Li Zhaoting exhausts his true energy, he can recover to his peak condition in at most half a quarter of an hour.

"Finished work, time to go home!"

"My lord, the Four Directions Gate..."

"None of my business!"

Li Zhaoting secretly calculated that with four Qilin Jade pieces—one for Fang Yeyu, one for Yi Shuihan, one for Kucha, and one for Zhujian City—no one could possibly collect enough Qilin Jade pieces.

On second thought, from the original perspective, apart from the Qilin Jade in Fang Yeyu's hand, the other three were in my own hands. The Qilin spontaneously gathered here, which means that I am an auspicious omen and definitely not some Jiazi Tai Sui!
Having just finished a fight, his mind was clear. Li Zhaoting's thoughts drifted unconsciously.

While pondering the Qilin Jade and the Demon-Slaying Sword, he also comprehended the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique and the Four Directions Profound Skill. Both of these mental techniques are pure "internal skills," reaching the pinnacle of "qi" in this world, and are the purest internal skills.

The Longevity Manual, the Compassionate Sword Manual, and the Great Demon Seed Technique of the Dao Heart are all considered "mental techniques" and cannot be classified as internal skills, as they require very little internal strength.

The Cihang Sword Manual depends entirely on one's inner state of mind.

The Daoist mind can subdue the enemy without a fight by cultivating the demonic seed.

The Longevity Formula was originally a set of health preservation techniques.

The Four Symbols of Heavenly Will, the Four Directions Mysterious Skill, and the "Three-Part Return to Origin" comprehended by Dongfang Baishi are all very pure internal energy cultivation methods that use internal strength to subdue enemies.

No fancy moves are needed; only the purest and most powerful true energy is required. A single slash with the sword can unleash a blade of light several feet long, maximizing the destructive power of internal strength and internal energy, possessing the power to destroy cities and fortresses.

Western Region martial artists have a unique advantage in this regard.

There aren't many martial arts sects in the Western Regions. To gain profound cultivation, one needs to fight against the heavens and the earth. In the process of fighting, one can comprehend the Qi cultivation method from the gales, scorching sun, and raging fire, and draw upon the surging torrent of primordial energy.

Li Zhaoting was obsessed with the way of the sword. He could transform all martial arts skills into sword techniques. He secretly pondered that these Qi cultivation methods were originally most suitable for fist and foot kung fu, but if he could draw on the primordial energy of heaven and earth to transform it into sword energy and unleash the Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Origin technique, he could unleash hundreds of sword energies with just a twitch of his eyebrows.

With a thought, he activated "Wind God's Wrath".

The area within a radius of fifteen zhang transformed into a sea of ​​sword energy. Li Zhaoting didn't need to do anything; with a snap of his fingers, the omnipresent wind could form sword energy storms, sword energy chains, and sword energy cages. Every wisp of wind was sword energy, and the fallen leaves, flowers, withered branches, soil, stones, and metals swept up by the gale were also sword energy. Everything in the sky and on the ground was a sword.

Heavenly Sword: A sword wielded by man, controlled by heaven and earth!

……

The Demon Master's Palace.

Fang Yeyu looked at Pang Ban dejectedly.

After suffering a series of crushing defeats, not only did all the experts he personally recruited die, but he also lost many of the guards given to him by the sorcerer Pang Ban. The most painful defeat was the loss of his two great guards, Chi Di and Qiang Wangsheng. Even the Mongol Khan intervened in the matter, and his right to succession was essentially stripped away.

Fang Yeyu's path to seizing the throne has come to an end.

There was absolutely no chance left.

Fang Yeyu began to have deep doubts about himself.

Even though I always make thorough preparations and calculate every step carefully, problems always arise, big or small, more or less, when I actually do it myself.

Some problems can be easily solved.

Some problems can become deadly dangers.

Their debut battle is the best proof.

Fang Yeyu calculated Guan Yutian's combat strength and the power of the Demon Sword Clan, but he didn't expect that the elders of the Demon Sword Clan had already gone mad in their search for the treasure.

To help Guan Yutian and his son break through the encirclement, the elders charged forward in a desperate manner, exchanging their lives for each other, using their blood to amplify the demonic sword, and forcefully broke through the encirclement.

From then on, Fang Yeyu suffered setbacks at every turn.

First, they were defeated in their attack on Sword Forging City. Then, they were ambushed by Guan Yutian and his son. Finally, in the struggle for the treasure of the Demon Sword Clan, they were utterly defeated by Ren Qianxing, who was completely possessed by demons, without Li Zhaoting even making a move.

The trump card, the Red Sun Dharma King, originally intended to deal with Li Zhaoting, was forced to act prematurely and launch a sneak attack on Ren Qianxing. If Jia Shifang hadn't suddenly appeared and diverted Li Zhaoting's attention, Li Zhaoting would definitely have found a way to kill the Red Sun Dharma King and eliminate a major threat.

In the past few days, Fang Yeyu has reviewed all the battles since his debut three times, but he couldn't find any problems. He thought it was because he was unlucky, or because he was not capable enough.

The problem is coming.

According to the plan devised by Zhao Min, Fang Yeyu won every battle and easily conquered the mountain city and the Supreme Alliance.

what is the problem?

Where did my plan go wrong?

Fang Yeyu scratched his head in exasperation.

Pang Ban ignored Fang Yeyu and quietly admired a bamboo manual until Fang Yeyu had calmed down and composed himself before offering his guidance.

Pang Ban gently unfurled the scroll: "Ye Yu, besides swords, what is Li Zhaoting's greatest hobby?"

"beauty!"

"I asked about his strengths."

"The fact that Li Zhaoting is surrounded by beautiful women shows that he is handsome and has great masculine charm."

"anything else?"

"Li Zhaoting likes to meddle in other people's business and is quite skilled in investigating cases. He can often spot the murderer at a glance, and even Lu Xiaofeng and Chu Liuxiang are often tricked by him."

"Go on."

"Besides swordsmanship, beautiful women, and solving cases, Li Zhaoting's greatest hobby is probably composing poetry and painting. When Li Zhaoting goes to brothels and taverns, no one will charge him."

Why does Li Zhaoting enjoy reciting poetry?

According to a maid in the Li family who cannot be named but is very fond of exchanging information for money, Li Zhaoting likes to recite poetry, mainly to show off.

Li Zhaoting once said while drunk that if a swordsman were to abandon poetry, his swordsmanship would become bland and tasteless, and his brilliant and exquisite moves would become half-baked and ineffective.

The disciple has another theory: Li Zhaoting was a child prodigy in Nanjing during his youth, confident that he could become the top scholar in the imperial examination. However, he was implicated by Li Nanxing, and his path to the imperial examination was cut off.

Li Zhaoting enjoyed reciting poetry, perhaps to distinguish himself from the common people and to show that he was a talented scholar. He disliked being an official but fondly remembered his school days…

"Analyze Li Zhaoting's paintings."

"Li Zhaoting is skilled at painting figures. When he puts pen to paper, he can easily capture the most alluring charm of a beauty and correct her flaws, highlighting her strengths and avoiding her weaknesses, making her lifelike. A singer's value triples after obtaining one of his paintings."

"Is there anything else you'd like to say?"

"This disciple is dull-witted, please guide me, Master."

"Ye Yu, come and look at this bamboo painting. With a light stroke and a simple touch, a bamboo leaf fluttering in the wind leaps onto the paper, making it impossible to tell whether it is the bamboo that moves, the wind that moves, or the viewer's own intention that moves."

"Is this Li Zhaoting's work?"

"Li Zhaoting used a bamboo sword in his debut battle, and he still used a bamboo sword after breaking through to the Celestial Realm. Given his understanding of bamboo swords, what's so strange about that?"

Do you think Li Zhaoting can only paint beautiful women?
Big mistake!

Li Zhaoting is best at hiding his true self, using arrogance, ferocity, and lechery to conceal his true nature.

He says he can only paint beautiful women. You think he can only paint beautiful women, but you don't know that he is better at painting bamboo. The same goes for martial arts. If there are traces to follow, they are all inferior. Only when there are no traces to follow can one reach the ultimate in martial arts.

Li Zhaoting has done his utmost.

Pang Ban exclaimed, "I never imagined that there would be such a gifted and brilliant swordsman in the world, yet also so fierce, indomitable, and valiant!"

Fang Yeyu listened quietly to Pang Ban's teachings, and suddenly thought of a question: "Master, when a sword is in hand, it leaves no trace, but as soon as the sword technique is used, it becomes traceable. Can Li Zhaoting leave no trace?"

Pang Ban said, "It comes from one and goes from one. It comes without a trace and goes without a trace. It flashes by and disappears. Who cares what happened in between? Look at this stroke."

Pang Ban stretched out his finger and flicked along one of the leaves of the bamboo scroll. The tip of his finger stopped exactly at the end of the leaf, not a fraction more or less.

Fang Yeyu felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and everything became clear to him.

Pang Ban said calmly, "Among all the martial artists in the world, there are three I admire most. One is Lang Fanyun, who can be extremely passionate, and therefore extremely skilled in the sword. Another is Li Ruohai of the Evil Sect, who has the most handsome face in the world, unparalleled masculine charm, and at the age of forty-eight, he has maintained his virginity and devoted his life to martial arts."

"Was the last one Li Zhaoting?"

“Li Zhaoting is the most special kind of master martial artist. Martial artists of this level are either obsessed with martial arts or are old men who have experienced the mortal world. Li Zhaoting has not only never left the mortal world, but he can also use the mortal world as a sword.”

"Perhaps he's just naturally lustful."

"So what? What's wrong with turning your innate talent into martial arts? Those with superhuman strength are good at the Overlord Spear, those with amazing eyesight are good at archery, and those who grow up by the river are good at swimming. There are no absolutely perfect people in the world. Practicing martial arts is about playing to your strengths and avoiding your weaknesses."

"Thank you for your guidance, Master. I know I was wrong."

"Ye Yu, you have suffered a crushing defeat, and your path to the throne is basically over. You should now focus on practicing martial arts."

Nothing in this world is perfect. If you want to obtain unparalleled martial arts skills and also hold great power, and have all the world's fortune and destiny in your hands, then frankly speaking, if such a thing really happens, it means that the Yuan Dynasty is about to perish.

This was a final, fleeting glimmer of hope for the dynasty.

Do you want to see this kind of scene?

Your only advantage in the struggle for the throne is that you have me as your backer. However, I don't like power. I am your backer in martial arts. If you become my disciple, you should diligently learn martial arts, not study power politics.

Good fortune and misfortune depend on each other.

This might be your chance.

Becoming a martial arts patron of the Great Yuan Dynasty is actually much more comfortable than becoming a Khan who is hindered by various forces!

Which path you choose is your own business.

As a teacher, I can only offer advice, not make decisions.

I'll be waiting for you in the seclusion room.

Pang Ban put down the bamboo scroll and went to his secluded meditation room.

(End of this chapter)