Starting from the world of martial arts in the Condor Heroes, practicing martial arts across the hea

Henan Prefecture, Quanzhen Sect, Chongyang Palace.

Early this morning, the disciples of the Quanzhen Sect lined up in full gear, their gray-blue Taoist robes neatly arranged, and their long swords drawn half an inch from their sheaths. The cold sword light reflected off the beams and pillars of the hall, adding a touch of eeriness to the scene. Everyone had a solemn expression, focused their minds, and were ready for battle.

Disciples were stationed at the mountain gate, mountain path, and back mountain pass outside the hall, and patrols moved swiftly. Every half incense stick's time, a special person would enter the hall to report any unusual activity below the mountain.

The entire Taoist temple was filled with a tense and solemn atmosphere, with all the Taoist priests wearing solemn expressions and not daring to relax for a moment. The sound of the wind passing through the copper bells on the eaves and the tinkling sound only made the atmosphere seem even more somber.

In the main hall, seven cloud-patterned prayer cushions were placed at the head of the hall. Six of these cushions were occupied by six Taoist priests, while the remaining cushion held a sword. These were the six remaining members of the Seven Masters of Quanzhen, who were all stationed in Chongyang Palace today, directing their disciples to monitor the evil spirits and heretics around Zhongnan Mountain, preparing to wipe them out in one fell swoop.

Deep within the shadow of the roof beams, a figure lay silently atop the roof tiles—it was Jiangnan.

He used the Hidden Dragon Sleeping Pill Technique to suppress the fluctuations of his true energy, his aura and presence. All the blood and energy in his body were gathered into his dantian, Niwan Palace. Not a trace of true energy leaked out of his body. Even the aura of his own flesh and blood turned into a faint turbid aura that was no different from that of wooden beams and dust. Ordinary first-class masters could not detect that someone was hiding here even if they were within three feet of him.

After his breakthrough, the Sleeping Dragon Pill Technique's ability to conceal his aura reached a new level. He sat steadily atop the Chongyang Palace, looking down at the main hall below. His inner strength and blood gathered in his ears as he listened to the sounds from the Quanzhen Sect's mountain area, as well as the reports from the Quanzhen disciples below and the orders from the Seven Masters of Quanzhen.

While analyzing intelligence, he thought haphazardly, "The Quanzhen Sect is indeed worthy of being founded by Wang Chongyang, the former leader of the uprising. Looking at the conduct of his disciples, their behavior is orderly, with them dividing into groups for guard duty, taking turns to relay messages, and deploying defenses in different areas. They all have the discipline of a military force."

Recalling the farcical incident in the original story, where the great hero Guo Jing was mistaken for a lecherous thief, causing a promising situation to plummet, Jiangnan couldn't help but shake his head and sigh: "It's lamentable that the founder of the sect had such foresight, yet his disciples and grand-disciples were utterly lacking in comprehension and the ability to judge character. It's only because Wang Chongyang didn't live as long as Zhang Sanfeng, nor was he as skilled at teaching disciples, and the Seven Masters of Quanzhen's educational level was also subpar, otherwise the Quanzhen Sect wouldn't have scattered so quickly. Leaving aside the traitors who would appear later, their investigative abilities were so poor that they couldn't even recognize a figure of considerable renown in the martial arts world, let alone one of their own disciples… I really don't know what to say!"

Just then, a disciple of Quanzhen Sect came to report: "Grandmaster, the Mongol prince Huodu has led a large number of martial arts practitioners to pay their respects at the mountain gate, and they have already arrived at the mountain gate."

Changchunzi Qiu Chuji had a fiery temper. Despite his advanced age, he was still impulsive and uncompromising: "What 'paying respects to the mountain'? Aren't you just here for the leader of the Ancient Tomb Sect in the back mountain?"

Danyangzi Ma Yu flicked his whisk, gave a curtsy, and said in a calm and clear voice, "Junior brother, don't be impatient. This Huo Du is a Mongol prince. Our Quanzhen Sect is currently under Mongol rule. Since he has come to visit us formally, we need to maintain appearances."

Hmm...that makes sense. When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. The Quanzhen Sect isn't just one person; they can't just be carefree, independent, and wander off whenever they want.

Ma Yu, who was sitting cross-legged, turned to his grand-disciple and said, "Invite that group of people in! Don't let any other petty scoundrels into the mountains and disturb the peace."

"Yes, Master!" the disciple replied, turning to convey his elder's orders.

  

Qiu Chuji snorted coldly, closed his eyes to rest and conserve his energy for the upcoming battle, and did not say anything more, but he did not stop it either.

Jiangnan, the "gentleman on the ridge," looked at the six people below with indifferent eyes—so that he wouldn't be discovered by those with keen senses and profound inner strength. He muttered to himself, "In my previous life, Rong'er and I stayed together, carefree and at ease. I was too lazy to run around to participate in the plot, and I didn't care about the changing dynasties in the outside world. I only met Guo Jing, the protagonist, once, and we didn't know each other well."

"The Seven Masters of Quanzhen never had the chance to fight their father-in-law. It is unknown what their connection was with Ouyang Feng, the Western Poison. However, I have never heard of any of the Seven Masters of Quanzhen being killed. When they returned to Zhongnan Mountain to supplement their martial arts, I did not see any white silk hanging in Chongyang Palace."

"Now, one of the Seven Masters of Quanzhen is missing. I wonder if it's Tan Churui? It's probably him."

As Jiang Nan pondered this in secret, he suddenly heard the only female Taoist priest below—Sun Bu'er, the Pure and Serene Hermit—speak with a lingering sense of melancholy in her brows and a voice that was clear and calm, yet filled with undisguised regret: "Our sect's Big Dipper Formation is unparalleled in its subtlety. It was created by our master with painstaking effort for us unworthy disciples. It is our sect's trump card. It's a pity that our second senior brother was ambushed and killed by that Western Poison in his early years. Otherwise, if the seven of us were to set up the formation now, its power would be no less than that of the Five Great Masters. We would surely protect our lineage and not bring shame upon our sect. How could it have come to this!"

Taiguzi Hao Datong chimed in, "What Senior Sister says is quite right. Senior Brother Tan was kind-hearted and had a solid foundation in cultivation. Back then... Alas! It's just a pity about Senior Brother Tan." After saying this, he looked somber and stared at the empty prayer mat, speechless for a moment.

Upon seeing the somber atmosphere in the hall, Yu Yangzi Wang Chu quickly offered words of comfort. He stroked his beard and said, "Now that our Quanzhen Sect has grown strong, even if the seven of us are not all present and cannot form the Big Dipper Formation, our disciples can form a composite Big Dipper Formation, the power of which will be no less than that of the seven of us!"

The other five nodded in agreement, their expressions softening and the atmosphere easing.

Jiangnan's ears twitched slightly as he heard a series of hurried and chaotic footsteps coming from outside the main hall and along the mountain path. The footsteps leading the way were steady, while the following footsteps were noisy, some light, some heavy, and some fragmented...

After a short while, the sounds of footsteps mingled and mingled as they ascended the stone steps of the mountain path, drawing ever closer to the main hall of Chongyang Palace. Liu Chuxuan, the Changshengzi, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke up: "They're here!"

As the two words fell, it was as if a command had been given. The six people in the hall simultaneously suppressed their distracting thoughts, straightened their postures, and became slightly solemn, their gazes fixed on the palace gate. After a short while, a group of disorganized martial arts practitioners entered, led by disciples of the Quanzhen Sect.

"Huo Du is indeed not highly regarded, so he can only wander the martial arts world. He's just like Murong Fu."

"As for this Darba, he really does have a great physique and good bone structure from physical training... but his mind is a bit... dull."

Huo Du entered Chongyang Palace, looked around at the palace layout, and finally focused his gaze on the five old Taoist priests and one female Taoist priest sitting on futons in the main hall.

Leading the group was none other than the young Mongolian prince, Huo Du, dressed in brocade robes. He waved his iron-framed folding fan, a nonchalant and contemptuous smile on his face, and gave a perfunctory bow, saying, "Esteemed Quanzhen Daoists, I am Huo Du, the young Mongolian prince. I have long heard that the Quanzhen Sect is the number one sect in the martial arts world. Today, I have some free time and am passing through Henan Prefecture, so I have come to pay you a visit."

He made no mention of the Quanzhen Sect disciples patrolling and guarding the area at the foot of the mountain, or the heavily guarded area on the mountain. He only mentioned his own identity, urging the Quanzhen Sect to be wary and not to act recklessly, and to make way for him to the Ancient Tomb Sect.

Jiangnan, standing on the beam, saw Huo Du's expression clearly and thought to himself, "Indeed, those who are good don't come, and those who come are not good."

Seeing that his junior brother Qiu was about to get angry again, Danyangzi Ma Yu spoke first, speaking gently and slowly: "I wonder if the young prince has come to our Quanzhen Sect with important business? Recently, there have been demons causing trouble near Zhongnan Mountain. If the young prince does not have important business, he should leave as soon as possible to avoid being implicated. A son of a noble family should not sit under a dangerous roof. The young prince should prioritize his life."

Huo Du closed his folding fan, his smile fading, and said seriously, "Thank you for your advice, Daoist Master. My purpose in coming here is not only to visit the Quanzhen Sect, but also for the sake of the Little Dragon Girl... Miss Long, from the Tomb of the Living Dead in the back mountain. I heard that today is Miss Long's birthday, so I have prepared a small gift to offer my congratulations. I wish to exchange martial arts with Miss Long and perhaps even seek a marriage alliance. I request that the Quanzhen Sect make way for me. I wonder... what the Daoist Master thinks?"

Qiu Chuji's fiery temper finally broke down. Leaving aside the young prince's contemptuous attitude, the Ancient Tomb Sect's location was a forbidden area of ​​the Quanzhen Sect, and its founder, Lin Chaoying, was his master's confidante. Now that the Quanzhen Sect had grown powerful, they couldn't simply protect the Ancient Tomb Sect from being bullied; otherwise, how could they face their master after their deaths?

He immediately shouted angrily, "Stop with your sweet talk! You've gathered a bunch of thugs from all over the country, plotting something sinister, and you think this old Taoist priest will guide you? Wishful thinking!"

Huo Du roamed the martial world, and who did not fear his identity and who did not show him respect? When had he ever been rebuked like this? He was immediately enraged and sent out a secret signal, about to call on the evil heretics behind him to attack the Seven Masters of Quanzhen.

Just then, Ma Yu stepped forward, his duster lightly lowered, and spoke in a calm and composed tone, directly seeing through the other's thoughts: "Prince Huo Du, the Ancient Tomb and my Quanzhen Sect have an old agreement. The Tomb of the Living Dead is a forbidden place for the ladies of the Ancient Tomb Sect to cultivate in seclusion, and we never receive outsiders. As a Mongolian prince, your followers are all carrying poisoned blades and vicious hidden weapons. You have gathered a crowd to surround the mountain, ostensibly to celebrate a birthday, but in reality, you are harassing the reclusive women. This is not only unreasonable, but also intolerable according to the code of the martial world."

A shadow crossed Huo Du's eyes, and his words carried the coercion of Mongol power: "Master Ma speaks lightly. Now, most of the northern territory is under the jurisdiction of our Mongols, and your numerous temples and monasteries are all under the Great Khan's rule. I merely wish to see a reclusive woman, yet you all set up battle formations and meet with weapons. If I were to return and report to the Great Khan, I fear that the various Quanzhen Taoist temples would find it difficult to live in peace in the future."

Inside the hall, Wang Chuyi stroked his long beard and spoke in a deep voice: "Prince, there is no need to use the power of the Mongols to threaten my Quanzhen Sect. Our late master, Wang Chongyang, established the sect by upholding the righteous path and has never been afraid of external coercion. The Ancient Tomb Sect has always been aloof from worldly affairs, never involved in worldly affairs, and has never provoked the Mongols. Your coercion is an insult to an orphan girl. Since my Quanzhen Sect is stationed in Zhongnan Mountain, we cannot sit idly by."

Now that things have come to this, it's time to stop talking; there's no point in arguing.

Huo Du's face turned ashen. With a wave of his hand, someone from the ranks behind him immediately rushed out of Chongyang Palace, fired a signal flare, and sent a signal to the thugs below the mountain to attack the Quanzhen Sect disciples.

In an instant, from the foot of the mountain to the top, and then to Chongyang Palace, everywhere was filled with the shouts of battle, the clash of weapons, the crackling of fire, and the wails of the wounded…

Jiangnan, on the other hand, remained calm and composed, observing the battle with quiet composure.

Six of the Seven Masters of Quanzhen, plus Yin Zhiping, a second-generation disciple, set up the Big Dipper Formation. Although Huo Du and his group had a large number of people, they could not break through the formation and were blocked by the seven members of Quanzhen in Chongyang Palace.

Seeing that the situation was unfavorable, Huo Du patted the tall and strong man behind him, trying to use Darba's brute force to break the formation.

Unfortunately, Huo Du was unaware of the intricacies of the Big Dipper Formation, which could concentrate the internal energy of the seven people forming the formation into one. Although the seven of them were no match for Darba, a brute, in terms of pure strength, the combined internal energy of the seven made them impervious to brute force.

There's one problem: the Big Dipper Formation requires the seven people setting it up to have roughly equal internal strength to maintain its operation for a long time. Now, one of the seven is missing, and the second-generation disciple has barely filled the gap. Although the formation's power hasn't decreased significantly, its duration has been drastically shortened. If a quick victory isn't achieved, and the battle drags on, the disciple's internal strength will become insufficient, and the formation won't be able to sustain itself. Then, the seven of them will face Huo Du and his group…

The Seven Masters of Quanzhen were held back by Darba's brute force and the combined efforts of other unorthodox methods. They were secretly anxious, but there was nothing they could do.

The incident happened suddenly, and although the Quanzhen Sect had friendly martial arts figures, there wasn't enough time to invite them. Now, the Quanzhen Sect has to face it alone.

Just then, another burst of shouts and battle cries came from outside. The Seven Masters of Quanzhen heard the sounds and thought to themselves, "This is bad! Could it be that another powerful enemy has arrived?"

Jiangnan, with his sharp ears and keen eyesight, heard it clearly. Guo Jing has arrived from the foot of the mountain!

Just like in the original story, Guo Jing accidentally struck the nameless stone tablet in front of Puguang Temple, and was mistaken by the Quanzhen disciples as a lecherous thief. One side believed the other was a lecherous thief and said that whatever he said was just sophistry, while the other side was dull and not good at speaking, and was in a hurry to go to Chongyang Palace to help fight.

Neither side was willing to yield, and they fought on the spot. It was only because Guo Jing didn't want to hurt anyone and held back that these Quanzhen disciples would have been lying on the ground long ago!

In the end, Guo Jing, relying on his profound internal strength and superb lightness skills, managed to break through the Big Dipper Formation set up by ninety-eight people and rushed into Chongyang Palace, turning the tide of the battle.

Dressed in coarse cloth, Guo Jing strode into Chongyang Palace, let out a shout, and greeted the Seven Masters of Quanzhen: "Esteemed Daoists, Guo Jing has come to lend a hand!"

Seeing the critical situation in the hall, he stepped forward and used the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms" to push aside the evil spirits. With a single hand, he subdued Huo Du, who was hiding behind and secretly launching hidden weapons. He struck Huo Du's pressure points and sealed his internal energy, rendering Huo Du unable to move.

The Seven Masters of Quanzhen unleashed the Big Dipper Formation once more, sending Darba flying before he could react. Darba then greeted Guo Jing and thanked him for his timely rescue.