Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 547 The Sweeping Monk's Method of Mediating a Fight (Li Zhaoting Version)
Li Zhaoting's face was full of black lines.

Is my reputation in the underworld really that bad?

Wu Xingyun, who lives deep in the mountains, and Li Qiushui, who lives in the inner palace, actually know so many rumors and have such deep prejudices against me. It's really a headache!
Seeing that Li Qiushui and Wu Xingyun were both using beauties to win over Li Zhaoting, one promising the princess of Xixia and the other saying that they would help him assemble a harem of three palaces, six courtyards, and seventy-two concubines.

Shui Hongshao was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

Shui Hongshao knew that her reputation was too bad. Once Li Zhaoting came to his senses and saw her, even if Shui Hongshao was like a cat, she would not be able to withstand Li Zhaoting's sword energy.

Even ten lives wouldn't be enough for Li Zhaoting to kill!

Shui Hongshao wanted to bribe Li Zhaoting with her beauty, but Li Qiushui and Wu Xingyun's asking price was too high, and the bargaining chips Shui Hongshao could offer were far less than what the two of them could offer.

Danfeng Pavilion is not without beauties.

Shui Hongshao has three disciples: Jinzhu is emaciated and extremely ugly; Yinzhu has above-average looks; and the youngest disciple, Gan Mingzhu, is handsome and has a stunning appearance.

So what?
Does Li Zhaoting lack beautiful women around him?
Who can be more beautiful than the Fairy of Jingzhai or the Holy Maiden of the Demonic Sect?
The list of beauties in the martial arts world lists Cihang Jingzhai as the most beautiful woman in the land, but what happened? The most beautiful woman in the land isn't even in the top three in the Li family!

The Song Dynasty princess almost turned into a "little pomegranate".

Shui Hongshao used to travel the world using her charms, and she understood human nature best. She knew that what Li Zhaoting lacked was not beautiful women, but beautiful women of high status.

Li Qiushui promised the Western Xia emperor's most beloved princess, Yinchuan. She was unusually polite in her words, saying that she could marry Princess Tianxiang first and then Princess Yinchuan.

Wu Xingyun promised all the beauties of the nine heavens and nine departments of Lingjiu Palace. Not to mention the three palaces, six courtyards, and seventy-two concubines, even three thousand beauties, Wu Xingyun could gather them all.

Wu Xingyun also has a super weapon.

The "Plum Blossom, Orchid, Bamboo, and Chrysanthemum" quadruplets!

Twins are extremely rare, triplets are even rarer, and quadruplets are practically nonexistent, let alone four stunningly beautiful women, all of whom are charming and lovely.

Men find it hard to resist this temptation.

Compared to Li Qiushui and Wu Xingyun, Shui Hongshao's bargaining chips are negligible.

Shui Hongshao held her breath, trying to minimize her presence. She really wanted to roll down the hillside. Rolling down might break a few bones, but it certainly wouldn't be fatal.

Li Zhaoting said calmly, "I'm here to resolve this conflict, not to extort money! I may be charming, but I'm not lewd, and I'm definitely not a lustful devil!"

Li Qiushui laughed and said, "Duke Zhenguo, I didn't say you were a lecherous fiend. I was just trying to build a relationship with you."

The Western Xia has long wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Song Dynasty. You are the Duke of Zhenguo of the Song Dynasty, and my granddaughter is a princess of the Western Xia. A marriage between the two of you would be in the interests of both the Song Dynasty and the Western Xia.

In order for the people of both countries to live in harmony, I request that the Duke of Zhenguo write a letter of request for kinship, which I will then present to the Emperor.

Not only will it lead to a beautiful marriage, but it will also greatly benefit the country and its people. The Duke of Zhenguo, with his upright and awe-inspiring demeanor, requests that for the sake of all living beings, the Duke of Zhenguo marry the princess.

Is that the correct logic?

As expected of Consort Li, who had spent decades in the palace and was disfigured yet still held great power, it's truly remarkable that she could utter such disgusting words without batting an eye.

Li Zhaoting considered himself to have a thick skin, but hearing these words made him feel nauseous and want to vomit. He would rather die than say those words.

Normally, Wu Xingyun would have mocked Li Qiushui at this time, but now he didn't say a word.

Just one appearance was enough to push Li Qiushui to this point. How strong is Li Zhaoting?

Wu Xingyun transmitted his voice secretly: "Shui Hongshao, tell me everything you know about Li Zhaoting, and I can ask for a favor for you."

Shui Hongshao hurriedly said, "Li Zhaoting killed the boxing champion Wanyan Jue last year and became the leader of the Heavenly Gang. Since then, he has made great strides and is simply like a god descending to earth."

In early spring, the Manchu Qing Dynasty held a martial arts conference in Northeast China. Li Zhaoting killed more than 800 elite imperial guards with a single sword strike, and thousands of people witnessed the event. This story is undoubtedly true.

Several months ago, Li Zhaoting took several wives on a trip to the Western Regions and challenged Pang Ban to a duel, which ended in a draw.

After recovering from his injuries, Li Zhaoting killed the centenarian sorcerer Jia Shifang in the Chess King Cave. A little over a month ago, Li Zhaoting defeated Yan Kuangtu in Dali and was ranked among the 'Three Demons and Four Masters'.

Of the previous generation of "Five Evils" in the martial arts world, only Yu Jiulian died at the hands of Zhang Zhenren of Wudang. The other four all died under the sword of Li Zhaoting, who was known as "Heavenly Sword".

The most terrifying thing was not the swordsmanship, but the ferocity that left rivers of blood in its wake. The martial arts forces in the Western Regions, Dali, Chang'an and other places were almost wiped out.

Those who remained either had relatives with him or married their daughters to him, which was how they barely managed to survive.

Li Zhaoting hated evil as if it were his enemy, and he always slashed and killed evil spirits and heretics with his sword first, and then blasted them into dust.

My reputation... I'll have a hard time surviving!
Granny Tong, we are not enemies.

Li Qiushui saved my life, and she asked me to help her once, which I absolutely cannot refuse.

You saved my life, and I will repay you a hundredfold in the future.

I know Li Qiushui's Achilles' heel!

Shui Hongshao spoke extremely fast. The pressure of life and death was too terrifying. Shui Hongshao never dreamed that her speaking speed could reach the level of Wang Yuyan.

Tianshan Tonglao looked surprised.

As a senior martial artist over ninety years old, there are few martial artists in the world whom Wu Xingyun takes a liking to. When I was roaming the martial world, your grandfather was still wearing open-crotch pants! You call me Grandma, it's to give you seniority!

Those whom Wu Xingyun could look down upon definitely did not include the Grandmasters of the Heavenly Gang, nor did they include the top figures such as the One Immortal, Two Buddhas, Three Demons, Four Absolutes, and Five Evils. Of the Five Evils of the Jianghu, Li Zhaoting had killed four of them, no wonder Li Qiushui was so terrified.

Wu Xingyun was also somewhat afraid.

The fighting inside Lingjiu Palace had long since ceased.

The disciples of Lingjiu Palace didn't recognize Li Zhaoting, but the demons and monsters of the Thirty-Six Caves and Seventy-Two Islands did! Upon hearing Li Zhaoting's name, they were so terrified that they wet themselves.

Li Zhaoting smiled and said, "Seniors, there is no grudge that cannot be resolved. At the age of eighty or ninety, when you are enjoying the company of your grandchildren, why should you be so attached to past grievances?"
You might not know this.

Your grudges and grievances are meaningless.

This is a painting by the late Wu Yazi.

The picture above shows his favorite woman.

Would you like to see it?

Li Qiushui sneered: "Grandson-in-law, show the painting to that old hag and make her give up on that idea. My senior brother has only ever loved one woman in his life, and that is me!"

Wu Xingyun sneered, "Li Qiushui, you shameless slut who sleeps with everyone! You dare to talk about true love? Is your true love just countless green hats?"

Li Qiushui retorted, "At least, I am a healthy woman who can bear him children. Our granddaughter is Li Daxia's favorite concubine!"

Wu Xingyun refused to back down: "Is she your granddaughter with Wu Yazi, or your granddaughter with Ding Chunqiu? I've heard a rumor that Madam Wang of Mantuo Manor has a father who is skilled in using poison. I wonder who it is!"

"You're far superior to that old monster who's over ninety but has the body of a child! Wu Xingyun, you know so many secrets about me and my senior brother. If you're truly confident in yourself, why haven't you dared to see him all these years?"

"You...what did you say..."

"Hmph! I've hit the nail on the head!"

"Bitch, I'll kill you!"

Wu Xingyun swung his palm at Li Qiushui, who met the attack head-on. Just as the two were about to clash, Li Zhaoting flashed and stepped between them.

With his left hand, he pointed a sword finger at Li Qiushui's palm, while with his right hand, he flicked his fingers to unleash the Six Meridians Divine Sword, forcing Wu Xingyun back.

A powerful pressure enveloped most of the mountain. Li Zhaoting's eyes narrowed as he looked into the distance, his fingers forming a sword shape. Behind him, a three-zhang-tall wind god dharma image rose up.

The cold wind, sharp as a knife, gathered inside the Dharma image.

Fa Xiang's movements were perfectly synchronized with Li Zhaoting's. His sword finger fell and gently touched the mountaintop. A mirage appeared in the chilly wind of Misty Peak, as if a fairy was descending from the sky, playing the pipa and zither. The sound carried for miles. When the fairy descended to the mortal world, what greeted her was not a myriad of rays of light, but pure sword light.

Wind God's Wrath - Flying Immortal Sword Qi!
The most secret and powerful technique of Mingjian Villa!

The pinnacle of deadly sword energy!

The sword energy falls!

Immediately following was a series of loud, rumbling noises.

Amidst the horrified expressions of Wu Xingyun, Li Qiushui, Shui Hongshao, and the Lingjiu Palace disciples, the entire mountain began to crack open from the top, and large swaths of the year-round snow fell, forming a devastating avalanche.

Li Zhaoting floated in mid-air, like a deity, silently looking down at the beings below.

A peerless wonder that allows one to ride the void and tread the air!
The most extraordinary lightness skill in the world.

It neither increases speed nor allows for quick maneuvering in intense battles. Its entry-level difficulty is such that if you were to rank all the lightness skills in the world, this method would at least be in the top five.

This light-foot technique has only one effect.

—Floating in the void!
Combined with the clouds and mist of Misty Peak, it looked like they were riding on clouds, and the disciples of Lingjiu Palace couldn't help but kneel in worship.

The roar gradually subsided. The hilltop where the three had fought was now in ruins.

Li Zhaoting landed lightly and asked, "Can we talk properly now? You'll understand what I'm saying after you've seen Senior Wuyazi's paintings."

Li Zhaoting handed the painting to Wu Xingyun.

Suppressing his shock, anger, and decades-long fear, Wu Xingyun slowly unrolled the scroll, revealing a beautiful woman with a radiant smile.

Upon seeing the beauty in the painting, Wu Xingyun was first startled, then overjoyed, and burst into wild laughter: "Hahahaha! It's not you, you slut!"

Li Qiushui snatched the painting, examined the beautiful woman and the poem on it intently, and roared, "Damn it! It's her! It's her! Hahaha..."

The beauty in the painting looks very similar to Li Qiushui, but she is not Li Qiushui, but Li Canghai. The two look about 80-90% alike, with only two differences: Li Canghai has a dimple and a beauty mark next to her right eye.

Without close inspection, the difference is not noticeable.

Upon closer inspection, their temperaments are completely different.

Li Canghai possesses a gentle and graceful demeanor, as tender as water.

Li Qiushui is arrogant, domineering, and the most insane of all. Even the Palace Master of Yaoyue Palace has to admit defeat in the realm of madness.

Characters like the Palace Mistress of Yaoyue and Li Mochou, at most, would say, "If you don't love me, I'll kill you." But Li Qiushui would say, "If you don't love me, I'll find hundreds of male concubines to play with, have an affair with your disciple, throw you off a cliff, make your daughter treat your disciple as her father, and then marry the Emperor of Western Xia in a grand and glorious way, enjoying decades of wealth and honor."

The madness of the Moon Palace Master and Li Mochou mostly involves tormenting themselves, but Li Qiushui is different. Whoever dares to prevent Li Qiushui from being happy, Li Qiushui will torment them.

On the path of criticism, Li Qiushui is the most comfortable, followed by Shi Guanyin, who resolutely avoids internal strife and always blames others for any mistakes.

What angered Li Qiushui the most was not the painting of Li Canghai, but the two lines of poetry inscribed on it.

The poem inscribed with the famous lines by Tang Dynasty poet Yuan Zhen: "Having seen the vast ocean, other waters are nothing; having beheld the clouds of Wushan, other clouds are nothing."

It corresponds perfectly to the names of the three people.

The saying "Once you've seen the ocean, you can't be satisfied with a river" means that after seeing Li Canghai, you can't stand Li Qiushui anymore!

"Except for Wushan, there are no clouds" means that no matter if it's the vast ocean or the autumn waters, whether there are cliffs or no cliffs, as long as you look up, there is always the senior sister floating above!

Li Qiushui flew into a rage: "You bastard! You heartless old thief! You old bastard! You died too easily, I'll grind your bones to dust!"

Wu Xingyun promptly added, "The clouds and mist of Wushan are indeed the best in the world. I see them every year. No wonder my junior brother keeps talking about them. They are truly beautiful!"

If anger could be transformed into power, Li Qiushui might have become a Super Saiyan. Unfortunately, Li Qiushui, who was nearly ninety years old, staggered and fell to the ground while looking at the beautiful woman in the painting and the two lines of poetry.

The Lesser Formless Skill has a youth-preserving effect. Li Qiushui's appearance was ruined by Wu Xingyun, but it wasn't a severe burn like Shui Hongshao's. Instead, a grid pattern was drawn on her face, leaving horizontal and vertical scars, and her eyebrows and eyes became somewhat crooked.

Originally, Li Qiushui had a full head of black hair and no wrinkles around her eyes, but now she has suddenly aged, her hair has become dry, and wrinkles have quickly spread across her face.

Li Qiushui could never forget Wuyazi.

Li Qiushui rolled around in the snow, then realized it was too embarrassing. She lay back on the snow and quietly looked at Wu Xingyun: "Senior Sister, you win!"

Wu Xingyun sneered: "Win my ass! Did I gain Wu Yazi or Li Canghai? What was that little thief Wu Yazi doing, fawning over me? Did he really think I would like him? The clouds of Wushan will only shroud Canghai! What a load of bull, Wu Yazi, I can't be bothered to even look at him!"

That being said, Wu Xingyun, who still looked like a young girl, was visibly aging. The backlash from the Everlasting Youth and Longevity Technique was silently descending upon her.

Under normal circumstances, the Heavenly Child Granny reverts to childhood every thirty years, losing all her martial arts skills. After that, each day is counted as a year, and she gradually regains her martial arts skills.

Now, with his mind troubled and disheartened, the backlash from the Everlasting Youth and Longevity Technique came faster than he had imagined, instantly dissipating half of his power.

With a thought, Li Zhaoting grabbed Wu Xingyun's arms with his left hand and Li Qiushui with his right, putting their hands together. He then used his One-Yang Finger technique to rapidly tap their acupoints.

The Everlasting Longevity and Longevity Skill is not a unique skill passed down by the Xiaoyao Sect. Rather, it is a secret manual that Xiaoyaozi stole from Changchun Valley in Dali. However, Xiaoyaozi is a man of great stature. After stealing the manual, he would have modified and improved it according to his own philosophy before passing it on to his disciples.

Xiaoyaozi's martial arts foundation is the Beiming Divine Art and the Xiaowuxiang Art. The two were originally unrelated, but when he modified the Tianchangdijiu Everlasting and Longevity Art, he subconsciously incorporated related concepts, forming a unique state.

Xiaoyaozi originally intended for Li Canghai to inherit the Xiaoyao Sect, while Wu Xingyun, Wu Yazi, and Li Qiushui would each teach him the three unique skills of Changchun Gong, Beiming Shen Gong, and Xiaowuxiang Gong. The three would then help each other and create a supreme and eternally youthful innate qigong.

Unexpectedly, Wu Yazi and others became so engrossed in their love triangle that they engaged in a fierce and chaotic feud.

Forget about mutual support and creating unique skills together. Wu Xingyun's mental cultivation method is incomplete, Wu Yazi has been paralyzed for decades, and Li Qiushui is a concubine in Western Xia.

There is one thing I want to emphasize here.

Wu Xingyun and Li Qiushui both understood that their internal energy had something in common. If they could steal each other's internal energy, they could reach a higher level. Their conflict had continued until now, not only because of the hatred brought about by their love triangle, but also because of the future of martial arts.

Li Zhaoting had never practiced the Northern Darkness Divine Skill, but he created the Sword Strike Acupoint Method, which could also absorb internal energy. He used this method to guide the two people's true energy to flow smoothly. Li Qiushui made up for the deficiencies in Wu Xingyun's mental cultivation method, and Wu Xingyun's Everlasting True Energy relieved Li Qiushui's depression. The true energy of the two people became a whole.

Hiding in the distance, Shui Hongshao watched Wu Xingyun and Li Qiushui healing each other, as well as Li Zhaoting who acted as a link between the two. A murderous intent flashed across Shui Hongshao's face.

At this moment, Wu Xingyun and Li Qiushui's internal energy was circulating within their bodies. If it were to break, their meridians would be severed, and even ten lives wouldn't be enough to kill them.

Li Zhaoting had to maintain a balance to prevent anyone from going astray and becoming essentially immobile.

This is the perfect opportunity for a surprise attack.

If she manages to sneak up on and injure Li Zhaoting, she can not only seize all the secret techniques of the Xiaoyao Sect, but also obtain the ultimate sword manual of the Supreme Heavenly Sword. At that time, who in the world can stop her? Should she take the gamble?

Shui Hongshao glanced around and saw her eldest disciple, Jinzhu. Jinzhu's appearance was too strange and he stood out in the crowd. Shui Hongshao made a gesture.

Jinzhu was exceptionally loyal to Shui Hongshao. Although she was extremely unwilling, she believed that she was proficient in external martial arts and had a wonderful way of deflecting force. Even if Li Zhaoting had the power to attack, as long as she could withstand one blow and survive, she would become extremely wealthy and powerful.

Jinzhu gritted her teeth and rushed towards Li Zhaoting.

"Snapped!"

Jinzhu was completely separated by the wind wall.

Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique: The Wrath of the Wind God!
The mountaintop is never short of wind; with a thought, Li Zhaoting can conjure a three-zhang-tall wind god image.

The defensive power of the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique is comparable to the innate protective energy of the Demon Sword Clan. With Jin Zhu's third-rate skills, how could he possibly break through the protective energy? Before Jin Zhu could escape, the violent sword energy followed.

Jinzhu spread her arms and retreated rapidly.

Jin Zhu was proficient in a unique body-refining technique, which transformed her into a skeletal skeleton, making her body exceptionally light. Combined with her special lightness skill, she could make her body like a leaf falling in the autumn wind, using leverage to dissipate force and retreating for miles.

But this is the mountaintop!

An omnipresent gale swept in, enveloping Jinzhu entirely in the whirlwind. Sword energy howled and slashed rapidly. When the gale subsided, only a pool of blood remained on the ground. Shui Hongshao waved her hand and shot out an iron spike, then ran down the mountain in an attempt to escape the bombardment of sword energy.

This type of iron signature is called the "Phoenix Sign," and it is coated with a highly potent poison carefully prepared from peony root.

——Seven Steps to Heartbreak!

It is so potent that it can kill instantly; within seven steps, certain death is certain.

Li Zhaoting raised an eyebrow, and the Wind God Dharma Image then used the move "Shifting Stars" to bounce the three Phoenix Talismans back along their original path. He even thoughtfully wrapped the Phoenix Talismans with a layer of sword energy, and in an instant, he stabbed towards Shui Hongshao.

"Pfft!"

Three phoenix talismans pierced Shui Hongshao's back, and the sword energy exploded in Shui Hongshao's body, destroying her last bit of mobility, followed by the onset of the deadly poison.

"Ugh~ Pfft~"

Shui Hongshao coughed up a mouthful of black blood, her face turning ashen as she lay on the snow and rolled down the cliff.

Li Zhaoting instructed, "Mei, Lan, Zhu, Ju, you take men down the mountain to search for Shui Hongshao's body. Find her alive or dead, and don't come back until you find her body! This man is good at feigning death, so if you find her body, finish her off with two sword strikes."

Wu Xingyun forced himself to obey and ordered, "My nephew Li Zhaoting is the new Venerable Master of Lingjiu Palace. His orders are my orders. Anyone who dares to disobey will be executed on the spot!"

Upon hearing this, Mei, Lan, Zhu, and Ju hurriedly descended the mountain.

"Past grievances, all return to dust!"

Li Qiushui looked at Wu Xingyun with a wry smile.

"The grudges and feuds of the past sixty years have vanished like smoke."

A bitter smile appeared on Wu Xingyun's lips.

"Are you two done yet? Maintaining the balance of internal energy is so tiring, I'm about to collapse from exhaustion!"

Li Zhaoting spoiled the mood by making sarcastic remarks about the two of them.

Li Qiushui teased, "Grandson-in-law, your words can only fool that utter idiot Shui Hongshao!"

Wu Xingyun sighed, "There are always higher levels out there. Did you start practicing martial arts from the womb? Nephew, I'm not joking. I can sense some traces of it."

"Hmm? What marks?"

"Traces of martial arts training in the womb!"

(End of this chapter)