The Great Martial Arts World: Hot Topics and Great Heroes

In fact, Chu Luren's internal energy was still inferior to that of a Golden Immortal. When the "Minor Chaos Technique" was fused into the "Chaos Technique," even though the properties were similar, nearly 20% of his internal energy was still lost. Chu Luren then went into seclusion for three days and four nights. In addition, after the three fusions, he had enough time for enlightenment and had two more enlightenments, which helped him restore his internal energy to its original level.

Compared to his Golden Immortal state, his internal energy is much weaker, and it can be said that the gap between him and Ouyang Feng and Zhou Botong is even greater.

However, under the influence of the "Three-Part Returning to Origin Qi", when Chu Luren fights in his physical form without enlightenment, his strength is already comparable to that of a Golden Immortal – this is already a remarkable improvement. After all, Chu Luren originally only barely reached the first-class level, and only after "falling asleep" did he reach the level of "middle first-class".

Based on the previous level, a Golden Immortal could fight at least three physical forms. Now, Chu Luren's skills are stronger, his body is more protected, and he can fight two against one. His combat power is comparable to when he was "asleep".

On the contrary, during the enlightenment, because the Golden Immortal's hard attributes are high enough, coupled with the amplification of the Great Sage's True Qi and the power of the Five Mountains True Understanding, the pure combat power is still superior to that of the original body during enlightenment.

However, in terms of poison resistance and healing, the physical body has a greater advantage. Although the Chaos Technique cannot intervene at this time, it can simulate the True Qi of the Vermilion Toad to protect itself. Moreover, the "Healing Chapter" and the "Nine Yin Manual" are not for nothing...

Furthermore, since the original body's techniques are more effective against "Toad Kung Fu," the original body's enlightenment gives it a greater advantage when facing Ouyang Feng!

This is precisely the source of Chu Luren's confidence to fight Ouyang Feng without "sleeping" to become a Golden Immortal, relying solely on his "original body + sudden enlightenment".

In the blink of an eye, Chu Luren and Ouyang Feng had exchanged three hundred blows. Due to the "double attack" technique, it even seemed that Chu Luren had the upper hand...

Judging from the movement of the two, it was clear that Chu Lu was always retreating and dodging. The "Northern Darkness Kun-Nourishing Skill" also has its own lightness skill and movement technique. The lightness skill is "Water Strike Three Thousand Miles" and the movement technique is "Soaring Step". In terms of small-scale maneuvering, it is no weaker than before.

Ouyang Feng also realized that his "Toad Stance" was now being targeted, so he used pure White Camel Mountain Villa martial arts to fight back, but it was not easy to defeat Chu Luren!

After another hundred moves, Ouyang Feng became somewhat impatient and used a toad-shaped energy blast at close range—this time, after he had pinned down Chu Luren with his staff, he puffed out his cheeks and exhaled without using the toad-shaped energy shield.

Chu Luren parried the snake staff with one hand and quickly flicked his other hand to meet it with a finger...

He felt a tingling sensation in his fingers. The power was much weaker than he had imagined. However... Chu Luren's mind went blank for a moment. He realized that Ouyang Feng had used poison. He quickly used his "Chaos Technique" to imitate the true energy of the toad with all his might.

Because of his dazed state of mind, Chu Luren's vision and hearing were much slower. He only acted on a semi-instinctive basis. He felt a tightness in his chest and a pain in his back. His internal organs were also slightly injured by the shock. Fortunately, the "Return to the Void Protective Force" was operating on its own, so the injury was only "slight"!

Then, as the true energy of the Vermilion Toad circulated, Chu Luren gradually regained consciousness...

Even though Ouyang Feng had secretly used poison, Chu Luren only swayed at first, taking a blow from Ouyang Feng's staff and a palm strike, before quickly recovering.

Ouyang Feng was naturally unaware that Chu Luren had already simulated the Vermilion Toad True Qi, especially since he had swallowed a treasure snake—that treasure snake was also a viper. Therefore, the Vermilion Toad True Qi had long since evolved to have extremely strong resistance to snake venom. Unfortunately, most of Ouyang Feng's poison came from snake venom!

"Good! Master Ouyang is indeed a master of poisons. The poison he used has already made me unconscious for a moment!" Chu Luren shouted with great vigor as soon as he recovered.

Ouyang Feng's face darkened upon hearing this: "A little bit of miasma, is that considered poison?"

“Master Ouyang is too modest.” Chu Luren seemed not to understand Ouyang Feng’s meaning and kicked away the way out he had given him.

Meanwhile, the old rascal who was originally fighting the giant snake has also made progress.

These giant beasts originally relied on their immense strength and thick hides. The mutated species raised by Ouyang Feng was so strong that it could stand up on its own, and its scales were so hard that it could withstand Zhou Botong's punches with just a twist. Apart from that, it could only spew poisonous mist...

In terms of attack methods, it is quite limited. However, it is precisely because of this that it can be said to be a counter to the "Ambidextrous Technique" - Ouyang Feng can defeat one Old Urchin, but he cannot defeat two Old Urchins. However, one Old Urchin cannot easily break through the Dragon God's defense, and two Old Urchins are equally difficult to shake!

However, the Old Urchin was truly going all out at this moment, much more serious than when he faced Ouyang Feng before. Not only were there blue true qi swirling around his arms, but they also clearly took the shape of the Suanni beast's head. The Suanni is a mythical beast that, although it looks fierce, is a creature that prefers stillness to movement and is good at using stillness to control movement. Suanni is often seen as a decoration on Taoist incense burners.

The old rascal realized that "using feints to attack solids" wouldn't work against such a large creature. So he unleashed his full power, his fists clashing against the giant snake. The phantom images of the Suanni on his arms bit down hard, and no matter how the snake shook, it couldn't shake him off. Instead, pools of snake blood fell to the ground as the snake thrashed about!

Ouyang Feng felt a pang of heartache at the sight, and upon looking at Chu Luren, he couldn't help but feel a desire to retreat...

Chu Luren hid his heartache—this was the longest Chu Luren had ever fought using his enlightenment, even longer than when he fought against six opponents from Songshan!

Chapter 301 This must be Ouyang Feng's conspiracy

Seeing that the Dragon God was injured, Ouyang Feng feinted at Chu Luren, then stepped back, leaped to Zhou Botong, and forced him back with a single blow of his staff...

Of course, the reason it was so easy was because neither Chu Luren nor Zhou Botong had the will to fight desperately. Knowing that Ouyang Feng was going to retreat, they did not try to stop him too much.

"Old Poisoner, hehe, I just caught your big treasure!" Zhou Botong said with a grin.

"Uncle, let's go into the snake formation!" Ouyang Ke was furious when he saw this strange old man mocking his uncle, and given the unfavorable situation they were in.

"Are you planning to never leave Master Ouyang's side again, or do you really think that the snake formation of White Camel Manor can really keep me and my senior brother here?" Chu Luren mocked Ouyang Ke.

"You..." Ouyang Ke's face turned pale upon hearing this, and he became even more agitated. However, before he could speak, Ouyang Feng raised his hand to stop him.

"Senior brother? Brother Chu has also joined the Quanzhen Sect?" Ouyang Feng noticed his way of addressing Zhou Botong.

At the same time, Chu Luren naturally noticed Ouyang Feng's way of addressing him, which not only indicated that Ouyang Feng felt he couldn't gain any advantage and his hostility had lessened, but also showed that Ouyang Feng valued Chu Luren!

Of course, there was also a small part of the reason, probably because they were worried that Chu Luren would really attack Ouyang Ke. Ouyang Feng put on an attitude of treating him as an equal, which made it difficult for Chu Luren to "bully the weak".

"No, no, no, what does it have to do with the Quanzhen Sect? My junior brother was someone I accepted as a disciple on behalf of my master. When my senior brother accepted me as his junior brother, I was already a lay disciple. If I accept another junior brother, that would be adding vulgarity to vulgarity!" Zhou Botong denied repeatedly.

“Since my niece Huang has made up her mind, I won’t interfere any further… I will tell Brother Yao the truth when I see him.” Ouyang Feng said, glancing at Huang Rong, and also at Mu Wanqing and Yun Luo beside her.

This kind of cross-dressing, which also pursues aesthetic appeal, naturally couldn't fool Ouyang Feng.

Chu Luren guessed that he was going to talk about Ouyang Ke's failed marriage proposal, and he just scoffed at it - Huang Laoxie, you're a liar!

"Let's go!" Ouyang Feng glanced at Zhou Botong, then at Chu Luren, and then struck his snake staff.

“Uncle…” Ouyang Ke was still not quite willing.

However, after being glanced at by Ouyang Feng, he immediately lowered his head and then called to his snake servant, "Let's go!"

Even more unwilling than him was the "Dragon God," who continued to stare intently at Zhou Botong. Only after Ouyang Feng repeatedly reassured him and then raised a noticeably stern voice was he finally taken away.

Ouyang Feng turned and left, and soon after, the snake slaves and countless venomous snakes also disappeared...

"Old rascal, go and see if he's really gone," Huang Rong said, still somewhat worried.

Zhou Botong only returned after confirming that Ouyang Feng had already set sail.

Just then, Zhou Botong saw three tigers surrounding Chu Luren, asking him about the time he had used two sets of martial arts at the same time. Zhou Botong couldn't help but sigh, thinking of his senior brother and the Tomb of the Living Dead in Zhongnan Mountain. He wished Chu Luren good luck and then went to the kitchen to find something to eat.

Chu Luren didn't mind teaching them "Three-Part Return to Origin Qi," but unfortunately, they couldn't understand the theory of the technique, let alone Chu Luren's "Three-Part Return to Origin Qi," which was even more difficult to cultivate than the original "Ambidextrous Fighting Technique"!

Don't be fooled by Chu Luren's view of "Three-Part Return to Origin Qi" as a shortcut. For an ordinary person... no, for an ordinary martial arts prodigy, the prerequisite skill for "Three-Part Return to Origin Qi" is despair-inducing enough. It's not as reliable as "Ambidextrous Fighting Technique".

Just as Chu Luren was happily discussing martial arts with Huang Rong, Mu Wanqing, and Yun Luo, a mute servant suddenly ran over, shouting "Aba aba," looking very anxious and flustered.

Huang Rong knew sign language. After looking at his gestures, she exclaimed anxiously, "Oh no! The Old Urchin has been bitten by a poisonous snake in the kitchen!"

Upon hearing Huang Rong's words, Chu Luren immediately used his lightness skill to arrive at the kitchen. There he saw Zhou Botong lying on the ground with his eyes closed, his face dark, and his tightly furrowed brows twitching slightly.

"Senior brother!" Chu Luren called out hurriedly.

Chu Luren hadn't expected that the Old Rascal's internal strength would be so easily poisoned!

“Junior brother…it seems that senior brother…can no longer…huff huff…go to Dali and tell Ying Gu…it was me…” Zhou Botong tried his best to say his last words.

"Go yourself!" Chu Luren interrupted him directly, and without caring that it would accelerate the entry of the poisonous blood into his heart meridian, he helped him sit up and then placed his palm against his back.

The Chaos True Qi, imitating the "Vermilion Toad True Qi," passed through the "Northern Darkness Nourishing Kun Technique," flowing into Zhou Botong's meridians through his Shentang acupoint and circulating throughout his body!

Wherever it went, the snake venom gradually weakened.

Half an hour later, Zhou Botong's complexion had returned to normal...

Huang Rong and the others had also arrived by this time. Seeing that Chu Luren had finished his practice, they quickly brought the two of them ginseng soup.

"Hahaha! It seems that meeting you, my junior brother, means that my life is not meant to end!" Zhou Botong put on an excited expression again.

"What exactly happened? Could it be a trap set by that old poisoner?" Mu Wanqing also addressed Zhou Botong.

"That's right, that must be it. I went into the kitchen, intending to find something to eat, but there was a bright green snake by the stove. Before I could react, it darted up and bit my wrist..." Zhou Botong immediately began to condemn the old poisoner.

However, Huang Rong spoke up at this point: "It shouldn't have been a trap set on purpose, otherwise how could he be so sure that you, Old Urchin, would fall for it? It's probably because some venomous snakes were left behind on Peach Blossom Island when the snake formation was withdrawn."

At this point, Huang Rong also looked disgusted...

Actually, there were snakes on Peach Blossom Island back then. It was only after Huang Yaoshi settled there and continuously improved the environment and sent people to kill the venomous snakes that the island was free of venomous snakes, and even non-venomous snakes were rarely seen.

However, since Ouyang Feng brought so many snakes to the island this time, there were bound to be omissions in the snake-driving method. In particular, when Chu Luren led Zhou Botong to break through the encirclement, he killed some snake slaves, and at that time, many snakes must have escaped the snake formation.

Now that Ouyang Feng has left, there are probably many snakes scattered on the island, especially since these are snakes from White Camel Manor, and each one is extremely venomous!

"Oh no! Oh no! Little Huang Rong, you must find someone to help me clean up my cave first!" Zhou Botong said with a bitter face.

This venomous snake is quite formidable. It's small, but if you're not careful, even a martial arts master can fall victim to it. However, if you're not saying it's not very ferocious, then even ordinary snake catchers have been catching snakes for most of their lives... You don't need to know any martial arts, just quick eyes, fast hands, and a lot of courage.

"Why are you going back to that cave?" Mu Wanqing asked, puzzled.

"Huang Yaoshi hasn't said he'd let me go yet! I have to wait for him to come back," Zhou Botong said stubbornly.

Upon hearing this, Huang Rong thought to herself: Aren't you just waiting to torment my father?

Being her own daughter, she quickly advised, "I don't care, let's leave Peach Blossom Island together right now, so that we don't get hurt by the poisonous snakes here. We'll hire some snake catchers to clean the island thoroughly before anyone else can live there!"

Upon hearing that the snakes on the island couldn't be completely eradicated in a short time, Zhou Botong, though guessing that Huang Rong was saying this on purpose, still reluctantly left Peach Blossom Island with Chu Luren and the others...

Chapter 302 Yunluo, You've Discovered the Blind Spot

When Chu Luren was on the boat, he saw Zhou Botong search every cabin to make sure there were no venomous snakes before he calmed down... So he asked him a few more questions: "Senior brother, with your internal strength, even if you panic when you see a snake and get bitten, it shouldn't be that difficult to suppress the venom, right? The snake venom you got in the kitchen yesterday didn't seem to be any kind of exotic species; it was just ordinary five-step snake venom."

If it were an ordinary person, being bitten by a five-step snake would be enough to make them die so quickly, so why is it that Zhou Botong is the same?

Zhou Botong cultivated the Quanzhen Heart Sutra. Although it did not grant him immunity to all poisons, as a Taoist internal cultivation method, it was extremely stable. Reaching Zhou Botong's level of mastery would naturally give him some detoxification effects!

Moreover, although Zhou Botong hasn't modified the Nine Yin Manual, he has already absorbed some of the martial arts principles of the "Nine Yin General Principles" and integrated them into his internal martial arts. Logically, his poison resistance should be even stronger...

Indeed, in the original work, during the Condor Heroes era, Zhou Botong drank poisoned wine at Kublai Khan's banquet, but complained that it wasn't enough. After drinking a whole pot, he spat it out as if nothing had happened—which shows that Zhou Botong's poison resistance was quite high.

Why are you so careless when you encounter a venomous snake?

“Junior brother, you don’t know, actually… when I saw that little snake, I got goosebumps all over. Once the snake venom entered my body, it felt like little snakes were crawling in my meridians, and I couldn’t help but panic and circulate my energy haphazardly… which made the snake venom invade my heart meridian even faster!” Zhou Botong whispered to Chu Luren.

Chu Luren: ...

Just like someone who is afraid of insects will scream and jump around when an insect lands on them, Zhou Botong's first reaction after feeling the snake venom enter his body was to haphazardly use his internal energy to "shake" the venom, which naturally accelerated the poisoning process.

Chu Luren offered a few words of advice, trying to comfort Zhou Botong—at least he shouldn't panic when he sees a snake in the future!

Otherwise, if he were to encounter Ouyang Feng alone, wouldn't he be at Ouyang Feng's mercy?

Unfortunately, this kind of thing can't be resolved with just a few words. Zhou Botong could only say that if he saw the old poisoner again, he could just stay far away...

While the ship was drifting, Chu Luren was a little worried that he might encounter a shipwreck in a dramatic fashion.

However, as it turned out, such worries were unnecessary. A few days later, they returned to Jiaxing without any problems. It was only October 18th.

"Huh? Brother Chu, there are words on the peach petal spot!" Huang Rong, with her sharp eyes, noticed traces of a secret code left on the city wall where peach petals were carved, and quickly went forward to check.

Chu Luren also stepped forward—he recognized these simple codes; Huang Rong had taught them to him.

Simply put, it's... booking a boat!

Because of the journey to Peach Blossom Island, the sea trip would take anywhere from three to five months to half a month. Therefore, the mute servants on the island would usually work in shifts, with one servant returning as another went out.

However, because of Ouyang Feng, this group of mute servants did not come to Jiaxing, so no one saw the code.