Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

The campfire crackled and popped as it burned.

The plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums are making hand-pulled noodles with the barley flour they bought during the day to comfort the hearts of Zhang San and Li Si.

Zhang San and Li Si sat on the ground in a sorry state.

Zhang San's eyes widened, and his whole body trembled.

Li Si hung his head dejectedly, his lips twitching.

Zhang San suddenly jumped up, then fell back to the ground, slapping his thigh and saying in a sarcastic tone, "Li Si, did you hear that? This guy says his name is Li Zhaoting!"

Li Si's tone was icy, his face ashen, and he offered a dry, forced response: "I heard you! You're not deaf."

Zhang San pointed at Li Zhaoting's cloak, speechless with shock: "But this isn't right! Shouldn't Li Zhaoting be riding his ugly black horse 'Old Wine' with a green sword on his back, righteously slashing people?"
What... what is this thing?
Snowcrawler pelt? Priceless! Are you here for a vacation in Tianshan or to rip people off at Lingjiu Palace?

Li Si rolled his eyes: "This is called a cloak. It's used to block the wind, and it can also be used as a weapon."

Zhang San turned to look at Mei Lanzhu Ju: "And these four young ladies, chattering away about us being big pumpkins and washing sticks. I remember Li Zhaoting only had two maids, both of whom were gentle and kind."

Li Si sighed: "A maid! Really!"

Zhang San suddenly remembered something and slapped his forehead: "Old Jiu was the dark horse. I couldn't see him clearly in the dark. I admit defeat. The Purple Rose Soft Sword was wrapped around his waist, which we couldn't see. Where is the Green Chain Sword hidden?"

Li Si: "Next to the horse's belly!"

Zhang San imitated the tone of a brothel madam, making up a pretentious story: "Oh dear, carrying a sword is too cumbersome, let's leave it aside! Studying the Cloud-Dispelling Palm is more important!"
"Master Li, are you doing this because you're afraid we'll recognize you and you won't be able to play dumb to fool us?"

Li Si: "Pretend to be pigs, and you'll eat us both!"

Zhang San exaggeratedly cupped his hands and said, "Master Li, please have mercy and show mercy. We brothers have been in Xia Ke Island for half our lives, and our intelligence network is known as 'Skynet'."

The results of it?
They couldn't even find out you were wearing a cloak!

A bunch of lazy bums who freeload off you, saying you prefer clean and neat clothing and dislike anything flashy!
"This is terrible! If we manage to get back alive, the two island lords will definitely punish us by making us cook Laba porridge!"

Li Si: "You wash the rice, I'll start the fire!"

Zhang San became increasingly agitated: "Our eyes are only for breathing, we didn't recognize you! You recognized us at a glance, why are you playing us like this?"

This priceless wine, along with our painstakingly blended "Nine-Nine Pills" and "Fiery Pills," you can drink it like plain water! And after you're done, you'll smack your lips!
This is not Li Zhaoting.

This guy is clearly a drunkard reincarnated!
Who is the most fond of drinking in the martial arts world?

Li Si: "Tang Zhuquan, Lu Xiaofeng!"

Zhang San covered his face: "After the fight started, you deliberately didn't use your sword and created the Cloud-Dispelling Palm on the spot. Were you just wearing a cloak to show off, or were you using us as practice?"

Li Si: "Just practicing! I admit defeat!"

The two of them skillfully bantered and teased each other, using the tone of a crosstalk performer, looking at Li Zhaoting as if they were aggrieved women.

Just then, the noodles were ready.

Mei Jian and Zhu Jian brought over two bowls of noodles: "Two grown men crying and making a scene! What kind of behavior is this? I cooked two bowls of noodles for you, eat them while they're still hot."

Xia Ke Dao and Li Zhaoting share a similar fate in terms of reputation in the martial arts world. They are both fellow sufferers, constantly plagued by conspiracy theories and rumors, so it's unlikely that fellow sufferers would kill each other.

Zhang San and Li Si just felt a bit aggrieved.

The intelligence system of Xia Ke Island was not built by the disciples of Xia Ke Island, but by the martial arts people who came to the island. In order to receive guidance from the two island masters, Long and Mu, they handed over some of their forces and gradually built an intelligence network.

While it may not be accurate enough to cover the entire martial arts world, its accuracy is certainly top-notch. It's unbelievable that an intelligence system that has never made a mistake in decades would produce such a laughable blunder.

Li Zhaoting's face darkened: "You two are talking too fast, can you let me say a word? You didn't recognize me, so why are you blaming me?"

Li Si wasn't good with words, but he slurped up the hot noodle soup, finishing every last drop.

Seeing that Zhang San had no appetite for his noodles, he snatched the bowl from Zhang San and continued slurping his noodles.

The night sky was filled with the sound of slurping noodles.

Zhang San sighed and asked, "Master Li's attire is completely different from what was described in the intelligence. What's the reason for this?"

Li Zhaoting: "It was a gift from my senior uncle!"

Li Si: "That makes sense!"

Zhang San: "According to intelligence, Master Li only brought two wives with him this time. Why are there four more? There is no record of these four maids in the intelligence."

Li Zhaoting: "It was a gift from my senior uncle!"

Li Si: "That makes sense!"

Zhang San: "What's the explanation for the Green Chain Sword?"

Li Zhaoting: "My senior master gave me a snow fox cloak that is worth more than a thousand pieces of gold. On a whim, I wanted to create a set of martial arts techniques for the cloak. The Qing Suo sword is a bit of a hindrance, so I just hung it on the saddle. From the direction of the campfire, it is blocked by the horse's belly. You should look from the other side."

Li Si: "That makes sense!"

Zhang San: "According to intelligence, the Holy Maiden of the Demonic Sect, Li Shengnan, is always drinking and carries a wine gourd with her at all times."

Li Zhaoting: "During the period of trying to conceive, drinking alcohol is prohibited. If you violate this rule, you will be punished ten times more severely than others."

Li Si: "That makes sense!"

Zhang San glared at Li Si: "This is my noodle, and you ate it all! Is that reasonable?"

Li Si: "If you don't eat it, it'll be a waste!"

Li Zhaoting: "That makes sense!"

Zhang San longed to find a towering mountain, grab Li Zhaoting with one hand and Li Si with the other, and leap off from the summit. How wonderful that would be!
Li Zhaoting laughed and said, "Gentlemen, I've treated you to barbecue and noodles, shouldn't you reciprocate? Give me a few coins, and I'll go drink Laba porridge this year!"

Zhang San gasped.

There are twenty-four stone chambers on Xia Ke Island. The first twenty-three are carved with Li Bai's poem "Xia Ke Xing" (Ode to a Knight-Errant). The last stone chamber is carved with "tadpole script" and contains the ultimate martial arts. Fifty years ago, the two island masters, Long and Mu, found Xia Ke Island and discovered the secret manual inside the stone chamber.

Overjoyed, the two began to contemplate the truth. After some time, they sat down to discuss the Dao and discovered that their directions of understanding were completely opposite, and neither could convince the other.

To unlock the secrets of the stone chamber, they named the manual "Tai Xuan Jing" based on Li Bai's poem, and each trained disciples to learn the martial arts.

In the years that followed, the two continued to control the variables.

Beginners with some basic skills, experts with profound internal strength, masters of fist and foot techniques, masters of weapons, scholars who know no martial arts... all return empty-handed each time.

Left with no other choice, they could only place their hopes on martial arts masters in the Central Plains, inviting them to study and comprehend the secrets.

This is the origin of the messenger who rewards good and punishes evil.

For forty years, hundreds or even thousands of martial artists have been invited to Xia Ke Island, where they have been deeply attracted by the martial arts manuals, painstakingly studying them and determined not to leave even for a moment.

There are two questions here.

1. Why not invite top-tier experts?
If we invite "one immortal, two Buddhas, and three demon lords" to Xia Ke Island to study the secret manuals, wouldn't they understand them?
First of all, why would they accept the invitation? Do they think the two island masters of Longmu Island can kidnap Zhang Sanfeng?
Secondly, even if one were to go, a terrestrial immortal who has reached the pinnacle and shattered the void might not be skilled at solving mysteries. To decipher the "Tai Xuan Jing," one would need a stroke of luck.

Finally, if Yu Luosha accepts the invitation and is incredibly lucky enough to unlock the secrets of the Tai Xuan Scripture, what will she do next? Will she share the essence of the manual with the two island masters, Long and Mu, or will she kill them on the spot to silence them?
Given the old man's character, Xia Ke Island might only have a few skilled craftsmen left, namely:
—Sailors, helmsmen, cooks!
—Eliminate them completely when we return to land!

The two island lords of Longmu Island were not selfless saints who offered treasures voluntarily; rather, they hoped that a peerless genius would solve the mystery and tell them the answer.

Everyone has selfish desires.

The two island masters, Longmu and Erdao, were no exception.

Second, why didn't the experts who landed on the island tell their families the secrets of Xia Ke Island, so that their families could send dozens of exceptionally talented children to Xia Ke Island to study the secret manuals?

First of all, I am extremely selfish and unwilling to share. Even my own son cannot take my secret manual.

Secondly, he went mad with his obsession and forgot everything except the martial arts manual;

Third, those with a modicum of conscience, seeing the state of the martial arts masters on the island, naturally did not want their descendants to come to Xia Ke Island to die, so they actively concealed the truth.
Finally, do you really think everyone on Xia Ke Island is a benevolent and righteous saint? The Envoys of Rewarding Good and Punishing Evil always wipe out entire families when they take action; aren't they all ruthless and cruel?

Even if the disciples of Xia Ke Island don't take action, which of the masters who are studying the martial arts manuals together doesn't have selfish motives?

Are they willing to have the information leaked?
Would they be willing to send thousands of martial artists out to sea, swarming into Xia Ke Island like flies?

These two issues are not static.

The answer, of course, changed again and again.

Since entering Xia Ke Island, the two island masters, Long and Mu, have been confined to their own little world for over fifty years. They have transformed from young and vigorous heroes into white-haired old men, now over ninety years old, their energy and spirit rapidly waning. They wish to know the answer before they die.

They didn't want to go to hell with regrets.

Therefore, before setting off, the two island masters of Longmu Island instructed Zhang San and Li Si that when distributing the bronze medals, they could relax the requirements a little and invite some martial arts prodigies.

Among the prodigies of the martial arts world, Li Zhaoting stands at the top.

If there were anyone in the world who could unlock the secrets of the Stone Chamber Manual, Zhang San would vote for Li Zhaoting. Other possibilities include Li Shengnan, Cheng Huaixiu, Wang Shenglan, or even Lu Xiaofeng and Chu Liuxiang; Li Zhaoting's circle of friends is never short of geniuses.

Zhang San handed over several bronze tokens, asking Li Zhaoting to distribute them to his relatives and friends. Li Zhaoting gave him a wink, and Mei Jian took out two Nine-Turn Bear Snake Pills and handed them to the two men.

Mei Jian: "Stop crying! This is the Nine-Turn Bear-Snake Pill from Lingjiu Palace, enough to compensate you for your Fiery Pills and Nine-Nine Pills! You grown men! Aren't you ashamed!"

Zhang San laughed and said, "No matter how beautiful the moon is in the sky, it can't compare to the aroma of a steamed bun in my mouth! I can't give up the steamed bun I've already got for a little bit of fame!"

Li Si: "Steamed buns! Delicious!"

The two accepted the Nine-Turn Bear Snake Pill, looked up and saw Li Zhaoting's eyes darting away like a plague god. They guessed what Li Zhaoting was thinking and ran dozens of feet away in a flash.

"Until we meet again, Master Li!"

"Laba Festival! Remember to come and have some porridge!"

With the two light bulbs gone, Li Zhaoting had just finished his warm-up exercises, and his blood and qi were at their hottest. Although this was a snow valley, it happened to be the mouth of a gourd. He used his true qi to block the entrance of the valley, so that not a single breeze could get in.

Li Zhaoting grinned crookedly: "Mei Jian, it seems like someone was laughing at me just now! What should I do?"

Mei Jian clenched his fist: "How dare you! Anyone who dares to laugh at the master, drag him out and beat him to death with sticks!"

"Of course they're my two concubines!"

Li Zhaoting grabbed Cheng Huaixiu and Li Shengnan, pulling them into his arms: "Until we return to the Central Plains, you two will both be concubines! Let's see how you cause trouble!"

Cheng Huaixiu: "Master, spare my life!"

Li Shengnan: "I won't beg him! I don't believe he can do anything to me in this deep mountain valley!"

Li Zhaoting gave him a wink.

The familiar scents of plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums lull you to sleep in

Cheng Huaixiu was weak all over and could be treated as she pleased.

Li Shengnan stood with her neck stiff and swaggered around.

...Disciplining the concubine...

The next morning.

Li Zhaoting went hunting in the jungle.

Mei Lan Zhu Ju, with bags under her eyes and dark circles, was preparing to make some noodle soup. Cheng Huaixiu and Li Shengnan, covered with thick snow fox cloaks, were fast asleep with flushed faces.

The four women were of one mind; they could communicate with each other through their eyes alone. They looked at each other and blushed.

Mei Jian: "This is what love between men and women is like? It's much more interesting than in the books! Your skin is so beautiful!"

Lan Jian: "Madam is so stingy! She was being scolded by the master and kept begging for forgiveness, but she won't let us help her!"

Bamboo Sword: "There are family rules! And there's a Queen Mother of the West in this family! You have to pay your respects to the matriarch before you can enter. You'll have to wait at least a month!"

Chrysanthemum Sword: "You little sluts! I see you're all getting impatient, aren't you? We're lucky; we used to have the old master's protection, and now we can accompany the master."

Mei Jian: "Don't be so smug! I heard that Master has two personal maids, Mei Zhu and Jiang Yuyan, who are Master's most trusted concubines. They can take care of all the affairs of the household. Madam Li said that if our Master were the Emperor, Jiang Yuyan would be the Grand Eunuch, and Mei Zhu would be the Secretary Eunuch, concurrently serving as the Grand Steward of the Li Mansion!"

Lan Jian: "I also heard that when Madam Li married into the family, she brought four maids with her. They were the four princesses of the Demonic Sect, who were skilled in playing musical instruments and singing."

Bamboo Sword: "Pah! Pah! Pah! Which princess learned such seductive skills? A princess from a brothel?"

Ju Jian: "Third Sister! Be careful what you say! Our martial arts are definitely no match for theirs. Whether we can gain a foothold depends entirely on Master's favor. We must not cause any unforeseen problems."

Mei Jian: "I've read about it in books! A man like our master is not someone who can be attracted by women. To bewitch our master, one needs not only beauty, but also a special status or some special ability."

Bamboo Sword: "For example—the Princess of Western Xia?"

Lan Jian: "What are our advantages?"

Chrysanthemum Sword: "Quadruplets who are of one mind! There's only one like them in the world! Eldest sister, bring out the books, let's all learn some skills so we don't get outdone..."

Mei Jian: "Oh no!"

Lan Jian: "Big sister, what's wrong?"

Bamboo Sword: "It smells burnt!"

Ju Jian: "The noodle soup has boiled dry!"

Four girls: (!!!-ω-)-ω-)-ω-)
Four women: Weren't we going to be sold off to Lingnan?
Perhaps the battle last night was too intense, and the wild beasts around were scared away. Li Zhaoting's hunting speed was a little slower. Another battle was even more intense. Li Shengnan and Cheng Huaixiu were still fast asleep. The four women quickly washed the pot and cooked a large pot of noodle soup.

……

"Snapped!"

Li Zhaoting slapped a large wild boar to death.

Just as they were about to take the wild boar back, they suddenly sensed a slightly familiar aura. They jumped onto a big tree and looked into the distance, where a group of three, an old man and two young men, were walking towards them.

The leader was an old woman in her sixties. She had never practiced any methods to preserve youth and had aged naturally. Her aura was quite sharp, indicating that she had long held a high position.

On the left was a delicate and charming young girl, pure as a lotus, untouched by the world. Of all the beauties Li Zhaoting had ever seen, only Yilin could rival her in terms of purity.

A good person would feel a protective instinct upon seeing this.

A bad person would be tempted to destroy if they saw it.

On the right is a handsome young man with pure and gentle eyes, carrying an air of innocent ignorance. His aura is like a boundless ocean, and within him is a continuous and inexhaustible Buddhist true energy that blends yin and yang. This is none other than Brother Dog.

Li Zhaoting laughed and said, "Young brother, are you now Shi Potian, the leader of the Chang Le Gang, or Gou Zazhong, or some other name? Every time I see you, you come up with an extra name, which is quite an interesting thing."

Dog Brother has an excellent memory. After not seeing him for a long time, he recognized Li Zhaoting at a glance and quickly ran over: "Brother Li, what brings you here? Let me introduce you. This is my master, Granny Shi. This is my master's granddaughter, Axiu. Master, Axiu, this is Brother Li, whom I've told you about before. He's a very kind person!"

Li Zhaoting smiled and said, "My name is Li Zhaoting!"

Ah Xiu's face first turned black, then white, like a frightened little rabbit. She trembled and ran behind Brother Gou, peeking out half her head to look at Li Zhaoting. Her hands and feet were shaking uncontrollably, clearly she was extremely frightened.

Granny Shi's real name is Shi Xiaocui. She is the wife of Bai Zizai, the leader of the Snow Mountain Sect. Several years ago, Shi Zhongyu tried to defile Axiu. In shame and anger, Axiu jumped off a cliff. Shi Xiaocui went to the deep snow valley to find her. From then on, she had a complete falling out with Bai Zizai. She thought to herself, "You use a sword, I use a knife. You are the Snow Mountain Sect, I am the Golden Crow Sect." She created her own Golden Crow Knife Technique.

Shi Xiaocui was lucky enough to find Axiu in a deep mountain valley. She had been wandering outside, hoping to one day master her swordsmanship and teach Bai Zizai a lesson.

Having gained experience from her long-term exposure to the outside world, Shi Xiaocui was by no means the arrogant and narrow-minded Bai Zizai. Upon hearing Li Zhaoting's name, she was terrified.

He had long known that his disciple was clueless and had a brain like a block of wood, but no matter how clueless he was, he couldn't possibly describe the Jiazi Tai Sui as gentle and kind, could he?

Does this have anything to do with Li Zhaoting?
In fact, Li Zhaoting had a very good relationship with the Snow Mountain Sect. After parting ways with the Chang Le Gang, Li Zhaoting instructed Bai Wanjian to go to Yangzhou to find Shi Zhongyu. Bai Wanjian successfully found his target, dismembered Shi Zhongyu, and was very grateful to Li Zhaoting, without any hostility whatsoever.

Unfortunately, Shi Xiaocui had been wandering the martial arts world all these years and had never returned to the Snow Mountain Sect. She was completely unaware that Shi Zhongyu had been executed.

As for Li Zhaoting's favors to the Snow Mountain Sect, there was even less to know; I had only heard rumors circulating in the streets.

In that case, how could there be any good impression?

Dog Brother laughed and said, "Brother Li, my master gave me a name, Shi Yidao. I really don't know who I am. Please call me whatever you like, Brother Li!"

Li Zhaoting pointed at the wild boar: "Then please, young hero Shi Yidao, take out your 'Yidao' and cut up the wild boar. We'll go to Snow Valley for a barbecue."

"Great! This is my specialty!"

Dog Brother's greatest hobby is cooking. He has an exceptional talent for cooking, skillfully cutting up wild boar meat while talking about recent years.

After parting ways with the Chang Le Gang, Ding Busan secretly infiltrated the gang's headquarters, stole Brother Gou, and attempted to force Brother Gou to marry his granddaughter Dingdingdang. Just before the wedding ceremony, Ding Busan suddenly discovered that his grandson-in-law, who possessed profound internal strength, was an illiterate fool who knew nothing except for his decent cooking skills.

Ding Busan was furious and wanted to kill Gou Ge. Ding Ding Dang Dang couldn't stop the bloodthirsty Ding Busan, so he could only tie Gou Ge up and aim at the cruise ship opposite.

They lived on the boat, and when the two boats passed each other, they threw out dog-shaped objects with a clanging sound, then ordered the boatman to set sail and block Ding Busan from entering.

Coincidentally, inside the cabin of the ship opposite them were Shi Xiaocui and Axiu, who had gone mad with their inner demons. They were trying to escape by water to avoid Ding Busi.

Dog Brother helped drive away Ding Busi and helped Shi Xiaocui and Axiu clear their meridians and resolve their demonic possession. Seeing that Dog Brother had great skill but didn't know how to use it, Shi Xiaocui took him as her apprentice and taught him the Golden Crow Saber Technique.

In the days that followed, the three of them traveled the martial world together.

Shi Xiaocui taught Dog Brother martial arts.

Ah Xiu taught Dog Brother various principles.

They got along quite well.

Some time ago, Shi Xiaocui thought that Brother Gou could beat Bai Zizai and wanted to return to the Snow Mountain Sect to show off her power.

In this way, the two sides happened to meet.

This is truly a rare and precious coincidence. (End of Chapter)