Martial Arts Crossover: The Sweeping Monk of Wudang? That's our patriarch!

Today is the day his life lamp is extinguished.

"Sir, save me—!"

The roar had barely broken its throat when its head suddenly exploded, like a ripe watermelon being smashed by a heavy hammer, red and white splattering everywhere, its brain matter splashing onto the frozen ground.

Lin Daochen's pupils suddenly contracted in the distance, and his heart skipped a beat.

How long has it been? That taciturn boy has transformed into such a ruthless and decisive figure, almost like a demon!

His hair was disheveled, and his robes were soaked in blood—all of it from the little demon; the little demon himself was no longer human, only a headless, mutilated body lying paralyzed in the snow.

Lin Daochen remained silent for a few breaths, then slowly stepped forward and gazed silently at Yang Kai.

At this moment, Yang Kai seemed to have entered a state of emptiness: his eyes were unfocused, staring straight into the void, and he was completely unaware of Lin Daochen's approach.

Lin Daochen waved his hand in front of him, but there was no reaction. He had no choice but to lightly touch the man's brow with his fingertip. A faint light flashed, and he cast a calming and sleeping spell, putting the man to sleep.

This is really troublesome... I wanted to use this opportunity to hone his skills, but unexpected changes occurred midway. The trial will probably have to be put on hold for now.

The most important thing right now is to find a safe place for him to rest and recuperate, so that he can continue his journey once he regains consciousness.

Just then, a great Dao suddenly roared down from beyond the heavens, its sound like a resounding bell, shaking the very depths of Lin Daochen's eardrums:

"Do not stop! No matter what state he is in, the trial must be completed. If you stop, the trial will be considered a failure—I will not grant you anything you ask for."

It was the voice of the Kunlun Immortal.

Upon hearing this, Lin Daochen's lips twitched, and a hint of helplessness flashed in his eyes. The opportunity had slipped through his fingers, but his brows remained furrowed and his burning desire remained unquenched.

……

"Senior, oh senior, this isn't guidance, it's practically pushing me to my death! I'm already at my wit's end, and you're setting a trap for me? Aren't you afraid of driving me to the brink?"

Before he finished speaking, Lin Daochen leaped into the air, intending to chase after the sound.

Unexpectedly, they crashed into an invisible barrier in mid-air. The barrier, like a glass dome, sealed off the entire hundred-mile stretch of mountains and rivers.

He stopped in his tracks, frowning as he examined the scene closely—even with his current cultivation level, he couldn't even stir up the slightest ripple.

"Young friend, don't waste your energy. This realm is not meant to trap you, but only to prevent you from interfering. If you continue to make trouble, you will only be wasting your true energy."

Lin Daochen sighed deeply.

That old fox is indeed cunning. Although I have lived for several hundred years, I am still too inexperienced compared to these ancient monsters who have lived for thousands of years.

"Alright, it's your decision. I'll find a quiet place to wait for him to wake up. Just remember—if he passes the test, you can't break a single word of your promise."

He looked around and his gaze fell on a sheltered valley entrance to the east: surrounded by green peaks, with clear streams, snow-capped mountains reflecting the sun, and a faint spiritual aura.

With a wave of the hand, the cold front receded, and a warm breeze arrived. Within a hundred meters, the snow melted away, grass sprouted, and peach branches budded, instantly transforming the area into a warm and idyllic paradise.

With another flick of the sleeve, the ancient trees in the mountains automatically shifted, beams were erected, and a house was formed. Windows were automatically installed, beds were automatically placed, and tea stoves, futons, and bookshelves appeared one by one, creating an elegant mountain dwelling.

Upon seeing this, the immortal from Kunlun, far beyond the clouds, couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle:

"That kid has a lot of tricks up his sleeve. Of course, I can also create my own world, but I never thought of such a shortcut—back when I was undergoing trials, I slept in an ice cave and was covered with a blanket of snow. I was so cold that I had to eat stones to stave off hunger in the middle of the night... Sigh, those days make my teeth ache just thinking about them."

Kunlun Immortal sighed softly, and his figure suddenly faded away, like wisps of smoke swept away by the mountain wind, instantly escaping Lin Daochen's divine sense.

Lin Daochen's eyebrows twitched slightly, knowing that the other party had already disappeared without a trace. He nodded slightly, turned around and pushed open the creaking wooden door, and stepped into the small house—he had to stabilize Yang Kai first, even if he was not in his right mind, at least he had to make sure that Yang Kai could stand, walk, and take a step towards the top of the mountain.

He reached into his robes and took out three pills shimmering with crimson light. With a flick of his fingertips, he fed the pills to Yang Kai. The pills entered his throat, and within a few breaths, Yang Kai's Adam's apple bobbed, his body trembled violently, and his limbs slowly rose, his stiff knuckles loosening.

His eyes were still cloudy and dull, and his movements were slightly sluggish, but he was able to get up on his own and walk slowly while holding onto the wall—this was exactly the result Lin Daochen wanted.

"Uh... Senior? How did I get here?" Yang Kai's voice was hoarse, and large beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. "My body... feels like it's being roasted over a fire! It's so hot that my bones are cracking. If it keeps burning, I'm afraid I'll turn into ashes!"

The burning pain was like needles, piercing every inch of skin and flesh; even breathing smelled burnt.

Lin Daochen remained silent for a moment, then shook his head and said, "It's nothing. This is the backlash from the initial entry of spiritual energy into your meridians—your mortal body hasn't been shed yet, and your flesh and blood can't withstand the scouring of the spiritual energy."

"Spiritual energy?" Yang Kai's eyes suddenly lit up, and he grinned. "The primordial power that you cultivators absorb and refine? Ha! I have it too? I've stepped into this realm too?"

He jumped up and down excitedly, gesturing wildly. Lin Daochen, however, only smiled with his eyes lowered, the smile not reaching his eyes—had he already imagined himself as a raging inferno after just igniting a tiny spark?

The path of cultivation is so profound; one wrong step can lead to eternal damnation. Even with countless tribulations and hardships, it is difficult to even glimpse the way. How can it be overcome with a few boastful words? He endured three hundred years of spring and autumn to reach the level he has reached today; while ordinary people, even with extraordinary encounters, if they lack the foundation, opportunities, and temperament, will only sit in the dust for a thousand years.

"Don't delay any longer." Lin Daochen's tone deepened. "The trial has begun, and you await at the summit of Kunlun. Now, set off immediately."

Yang Kai stiffened, clasped his hands tightly, and his spiritual energy surged like a tide. He strode forward and rushed towards the snow-capped mountains. In his heart, he already regarded Lin Daochen as his mentor—once he bowed, he would be devoted to him for life; his master's orders were the law of heaven.

"Master, please wait!" Without turning his head, his voice, carried by the wind and snow, crashed against the mountain wall. "I will surely pass this trial! I will personally fulfill the request you entrusted to me—hear my good news!"

His figure ran faster and faster until he was swallowed up by the vast forest. When he broke through the hidden barrier set up by Lin Daochen, his vision suddenly changed: the north wind was like a knife, the blizzard was like a blade, the world was a vast expanse of white, and it was so cold that even breathing froze.

"Ouch—this is fucking freezing!" Yang Kai rubbed his reddened hands and stamped his feet. "Luckily I was wrapped in three layers of thick coats, otherwise I would have been an ice sculpture by now!"

He trudged through the crunching snow when he suddenly saw a giant ape crouching on the snow slope ahead—its body covered in silver fur, its arms hanging down to its knees, tilting its head to look at him, a mocking smile playing on its lips.

The white-haired gorilla glanced sideways at the distant mountain valley, then fixed its gaze on Yang Kai's face, and sneered: "Heh... Lin Daochen actually sent a greenhorn to his death? Did he think you could last more than half an incense stick's time under my claws?" It suddenly pounced forward, bringing a foul stench, and slammed its fist down!

The ground exploded with spiderweb-like cracks, sending shards of rock flying, and even the frozen soil was dented into a crater several feet deep—this single blow was enough to grind fine steel into dust.

Before Yang Kai's spiritual energy could stabilize, he hastily twisted his waist and dodged to the side. Although he avoided a fatal blow, he was thrown off balance by the force of the punch and fell heavily to the ground. His back slammed against the ice rock, causing him to feel dizzy and his ears to ring.

All of this was meticulously recorded by Lin Daochen's divine sense. He stood with his hands behind his back on the edge of the cliff, his gaze calm, fixed only on the thin figure struggling to get up in the snow.

He thought Yang Kai would learn his lesson after taking that hit. But to his surprise, the guy not only didn't back down, but gritted his teeth and stared intently at his opponent with bloodshot eyes.

"You think you're the only one who can inhale demonic energy? I also possess a formidable true power within me!"

Before he finished speaking, a wisp of milky white mist slowly rose from Yang Kai's palm, as light as morning mist, yet condensed and not dissipated.

Lin Daochen, who was watching the battle from a distance, narrowed his eyes slightly—this kid was able to form a Qi body so quickly?

"He is indeed promising! Immortal Kunlun was right; this person was probably the reincarnation of some ancient great being in his previous life. We have truly made the right choice in entrusting him with this task."

As soon as he finished speaking, his gaze was fixed on the scene again—the white-haired gorilla had already stomped the ground and pounced on him with a stench.

Yang Kai felt a chill run down his spine. That beast's muscles were bulging and his momentum was like a collapsing mountain. If he threw a punch, he could probably crush a person into blood and gore on the spot.

Although he had gained new strength, it was like holding a red-hot iron rod—he knew how to hold it, but didn't know how to use it. The slightest mistake would result in broken bones and torn tendons.

But he absolutely could not ask for help. This was a trial set by Lin Daochen; if he took the initiative to stop, it would be tantamount to admitting that he was beyond redemption. Once he lost his qualification, he would probably never be able to open the door to the Dao again in this lifetime.

"Senior, please stand still and observe. Do not interfere! I will do my utmost to fight this white-haired beast—you just watch. If I am truly on the verge of death, then it is not too late to help!"

Lin Daochen nodded silently, but in his mind he had already pictured Yang Kai teaching and imparting knowledge after breaking through his cultivation barrier.

"Alright, as you wish. No matter what happens, I will not lift a finger. But you must remember: this white-haired gorilla is just bluffing. As long as you stay calm and find its weakness, defeating it will be a piece of cake."

Yang Kai nodded vigorously. He knew better than anyone that this trial was his only chance to turn things around.

Lin Daochen stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze piercing. At first, Yang Kai's movements were stiff, his spiritual energy surging wildly through his meridians, his moves scattered like a drunkard staggering; but the more he fought, the smoother his movements became, his breathing gradually stabilized, his footwork became more agile, and it seemed he was about to defeat his enemy with a single blow—

Boom!

A bolt of pale lightning struck down from the sky, hitting the white-haired gorilla squarely on the head!

A deafening explosion erupted, and the beast swelled up, its three- or four-meter body growing to seven or eight meters in the blink of an eye, its muscles bulging, its fangs menacing, looking exactly like a ferocious monster crawling out of hell.

Lin Daochen's face darkened—that old immortal Kunlun, secretly stirring things up! He's clearly trying to prevent Yang Kai from passing the test.

"Old man, now that we've thrown caution to the wind, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"

With a flick of his sleeve, a warm and profound spiritual energy enveloped Yang Kai's entire body. In an instant, Yang Kai's dantian blazed like a raging fire, his blood and qi surged like a rushing river, and the blue bricks beneath his feet cracked inch by inch, with spiderweb-like cracks spreading outwards.

Yang Kai's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't even have time to catch his breath—the white-haired gorilla had already rushed towards him in a gust of wind!

Before the fist even arrived, the powerful wind was like a knife cutting into his face, making his skin and flesh tremble.

His throat tightened, and cold sweat trickled down his collar—one touch and he would be dead.

In desperation, he gritted his teeth and channeled his spiritual energy, trying to erect a protective light barrier around himself. But his power was like a mud ox sinking into the sea, completely undisturbed.

Lin Daochen scanned him with his divine sense and saw that he could think of using his qi to build a shield in the face of danger. The corners of his lips quietly turned up.

"That method is correct. But there's something I need to remind you first: spiritual energy isn't an external thing; it's a 'second set of bones' that grows from your body. How can someone who can't even use their hands and feet properly command spiritual energy?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Kai immediately understood. With his excellent comprehension, he quickly grasped the key point and unleashed a thunderous attack, sending the white-haired gorilla flying backward.