The Great Martial Arts World: Hot Topics and Great Heroes

“You! We, the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan, are upright and honest. How could we be close to that Red and White Tai Sui? We have already inquired about his kindness to Jing'er and the enmity that followed. If we have the opportunity in the future, we will definitely repay him. If he is not satisfied, we will simply give Jing'er's life to him... But to ask us to associate with the Manchus is wishful thinking!” Ke Zhen said maliciously.

Huang Rong rolled her eyes and said, "You younger brothers and sisters should take good care of your eldest brother. How come after he went blind, there's not even anyone to teach him? And he's associating with the Manchus? The current emperor personally bestowed upon Brother Chu the title of 'a brave knight-errant and the backbone of the Jianghu.' I wonder what contributions the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan have made to the country?"

Ke Zhen'e was really put on the defensive, after all, he had actually heard about this week's list of chivalrous heroes...

It must be said that the comment "the bravest of heroes, the backbone of the martial world" has indeed given many people a resounding slap in the face.

People keep saying that the Chu people are associating with the Manchus, but Wu Sangui hated the Chu people, while the Song court flattered them...

Even if one were to insist that Chu Luren was currying favor with the royal family and being adept at scheming, his arrogance ultimately paled in comparison. It felt like he had been slapped but was still trying to say that "the slap wasn't really that hard."

On the roof beam, Huang Yaoshi glanced at Chu Luren—he had just learned that his daughter had previously been involved with this boy…

Furthermore, Chu Luren estimated that Huang Yaoshi's favorability towards him would probably decrease, since Huang Yaoshi couldn't even pass the imperial examination, while Chu Luren was recognized by the court as a "pillar of the martial arts world".

“You have lived in the desert for a long time and are returning to the Central Plains for the first time. You are probably not familiar with many things in the martial world. Please take your seats.” Lu Chengfeng also became somewhat indifferent to the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan.

"Haha, you're talking about that Chu Luren who's become quite famous lately, right? Well, there aren't many rising stars in the martial world these days, so Chu Luren is pretty good, but he's too flamboyant and too close to the Song court. However, he does know how to be flexible, which is good," Qiu Qianren said, pointing out the flaws in the situation.

Huang Rong was already laughing in anger, while Qiu Qianren thought for a moment and probably felt that just commenting on Chu Luren wasn't sophisticated enough, so he added: "He's much better than that guy who fought so fiercely over the Nine Yin Manual back in the day at Mount Hua."

What a great way to put someone down!

Upon hearing this, Chu Luren looked up at Huang Yaoshi opposite him and even winked at him... Huang Yaoshi ignored him.

Lu Chengfeng couldn't stand it anymore and said bluntly, "I heard that Wang Chongyang, the founder of Quanzhen Sect, also invited Chief Qiu to the Mount Hua Sword Tournament. Since Chief Qiu is so brilliant, why don't you go and compete for it?"

If Huang Rong hadn't stopped him with her eyes, Lu Chengfeng's words would probably have been even more vehement!

The man surnamed Qiu, seemingly unfazed, slowly replied, "What am I going there for? It's nothing more than a bunch of people fighting and killing each other. The Nine Yin Manual is nothing more than a tool for killing. Do I need that? In recent years, I've had no interest in the affairs of the martial world. If it weren't for the sake of the common people, I wouldn't be out here running around like this..."

Upon hearing "Qiu Qianren," the conversation immediately turned to the main topic, drawing the attention of even the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan, who hadn't been present before, and their minds were elsewhere.

"I have received definite news that within six months, Ao Bai will lead his army south, at which point the Song dynasty in Jiangnan will be in danger of collapse!" Qiu Qianren said firmly.

Just as everyone else was concerned about the fate of the nation, Jiang Biehe interjected, "Where did Chief Qiu get this information?"

Chu Luren pondered his tone, which clearly implied a question, and thought to himself: Could these two not be working together?

So, is Mr. Qiu's information accurate or not?

Overwhelmed with a thousand thoughts, Chu Luren was also confused and could only look expectantly at Huang Rong...

Chapter 313 Double Act

"Hehe, I have my own sources of information. Don't you believe me, Master Jiang?" Qiu Qianren didn't have a good attitude when faced with Dui Jiang Biehe's questioning.

This wasn't surprising, after all, Jiang Biehe just looked older than his age, Yue Buqun was nearly sixty but looked like he was in his forties, and he was nearly forty but looked like he was in his forties...

After all, Jiang Biehe was just Jiang Feng's page back then, and he started practicing internal martial arts very late. Moreover, Chu Luren suspected that he deliberately dressed up to look older in order to appear "highly respected".

In fact, Qiu Qianren was much older than him, so his tone was naturally unpleasant when he was suddenly questioned.

“Chief Qiu is renowned throughout Guangdong and Guangxi, so he would never joke about such a thing. I trust him… Then what is Chief Qiu’s intention?” Jiang Biehe asked pointedly.

"The emperor of the Song Dynasty is, after all, a Han Chinese. Now that we know, we can offer some incense and let him know. I'll pass it on to Brother Chu in a while, and he can see the emperor directly." Huang Rong said this deliberately so that Jiang Biehe wouldn't be able to be sure whether Chu Luren was nearby.

When Ke Zhen'e heard that Huang Rong had only "told him," he couldn't help but feel secretly contemptuous, but he also didn't really want to argue with a young girl.

Before he could even speak, Qiu Qianren rebuked him, "Young man, you have no knowledge! If the Song Dynasty were prepared, wouldn't the war be even more devastating and more people be displaced?"

Okay! Hmm?

Ke Zhen gave a disgusted "good," then... pondered his words, realizing something was off.

Jiang Biehe then said solemnly, "The Song army is indeed... Alas! Precisely because of this, with the nation in peril, we, the people of the martial world, should stand up and rush to the aid of the Song army, vowing to be irreconcilable enemies with the Qing bandits!"

“That’s right! What Hero Jiang said is correct. We six brothers have been away from the Central Plains for a long time, but if those Qing dogs dare to come, we dare to kill them! If Hero Jiang were to raise his voice, we would surely rise up and follow him. At worst, we would leave our lives on the battlefield!” Ke Zhen’e slammed his hand on the table and stood up.

Compared to the subtle sarcasm in Qiu Qianren's words, Jiang Biehe's words were exactly what Ke Zhen'e wanted.

Chu Luren on the rooftop just grimaced, he absolutely refused to believe that Jiang Biehe really had such kindness and passion.

At this moment, Qiu Qianren rebuked him, saying, "I originally thought that you, the great hero of Jiangnan, would have profound insights in recent years, but I never expected you to speak such shallow words!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Biehe's tone became noticeably harsher, but he still asked politely, "Oh? Then, may I ask what brilliant plan Chief Qiu has?"

"Hehe, it's not exactly a brilliant plan, it's just following the will of Heaven and the will of the people!" Qiu Qianren said smugly, fanning himself with his feather fan.

"How do we follow the will of Heaven? How do we respond to the people?" Jiang Biehe seemed to know something and pressed on with his questions.

"With the Qing army at its peak, it is only a matter of time before it marches south and destroys the Song Dynasty. When the north and south are unified, it can gradually recover Guanzhong, Hebei, Shaanxi and eastern Shaanxi... Once the country is unified, the people will naturally be happy. This is in accordance with the will of Heaven and the people. If the Song court raises an army to resist, or if some unreasonable people obstruct the Qing army, it will only cause the people to bleed. This is an act against Heaven and inhumane!"

On the contrary, if the heroes of the Jiangnan martial arts world were willing to cooperate with the Qing army from within, it would be a blessing for the world, and the people would remember their kindness. Only then would the word "chivalry" be truly worthy of being called "chivalry"! Qiu Qianren said, sticking out his neck.

This "profound" statement truly infuriated the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan and the Lu family father and son.

As the host, Lu Chengfeng was the first to speak with a cold face: "Although I am disabled and live among outlaws, I have never forgotten my loyalty and righteousness. If the Qing soldiers want to seize my country and harm my people, I will naturally follow the heroes of Jiangnan and fight them to the death... Chief Qiu, do you have some unspeakable secret and are testing us?"

"Why is Master Lu so short-sighted? Helping the court resist the Qing army? Have you forgotten that Marshal Yue has only been dead for ten years!" Qiu Qianren's words were rather harsh.

There were also heroes like Yue Fei in this area; otherwise, the Qing army would not have stopped outside Huainan.

They even had a brief opportunity to recapture the north, but they hated Wu Sangui for leading troops against the Han army when the Qing court was at its weakest, acting like a dog. They also hated the incompetent emperor and treacherous minister who indiscriminately killed loyal officials...

Fortunately, according to rumors, Marshal Yue's son was rescued by righteous men and became a disciple of Mu Renqing, but he has been mentioned less often in recent years.

This matter did indeed hurt the hearts of the pro-war generals in the court. However, for those present, they could only curse the treacherous ministers and the incompetent emperor. After all, they didn't really trust the Song court and weren't working for it.

"Hmph! Back in the day, Chief Shangguan of the Iron Palm Clan was such a hero. Now... we have different paths, so we can't work together. Chief Qiu, you may leave!" Lu Chengfeng directly gave him the order to leave.

Upon hearing this, Qiu Qianren remained seated, his robes fluttering even without wind, as if he were about to make a move.

Before Lu Chengfeng could react, the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan stepped forward: "Shameless old thief, so what if you have high martial arts skills? We, the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan, will fight you!"

"Oh? Then all of you can come at me together." Qiu Qianren remained calm.

Upon hearing this, Lu Chengfeng deliberately gave the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan a way out: "I have long heard that the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan are united as one. Whether facing one person or a thousand troops, they are still seven people!"

That's actually a bit unreasonable, after all, there aren't thousands of troops here, just one person...

"You... fine, fine, I originally hoped to save your Guiyun Manor, but it seems that Master Lu doesn't appreciate my good intentions!" Qiu Qianren used the universal line of persuaders throughout history and across the world—I'm doing this for your own good!

Seeing that no one paid attention to him, Qiu Qianren continued, "Let me ask you, did you Taihu Lake bandits capture Wu Sangui's envoy before?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Chengfeng and his son's expressions changed slightly—how did he know about this? Could it be related to the Qing court's military campaign?

Could it be... that Wu Sangui was leading the troops?

Chu Luren, perched on the roof beam, had a few thoughts flitting through his mind. He glanced at Qiu Qianren, then at Jiang Biehe…

"So what if it is? Wu Sangui is a traitor to the Han people. Let alone his messenger... it would be good if he himself dared to come here!" Lu Chengfeng simply admitted it.

"Hahaha, well said! In that case, Master Lu, you must remember to kill him as soon as possible, lest you ruin your reputation." Qiu Qianren laughed loudly.

Lu Chengfeng was taken aback upon hearing this, somewhat confused about Qiu Qianren's attitude.

Qiu Qianren didn't linger and actually walked out.

Then Ke Zhen'e was the first to ask, "Master Lu, have you really captured Wu Sangui's envoy? We must not let the tiger return to the mountain!"

Lu Chengfeng looked troubled upon hearing this. Indeed, he did not want to release Wu Kang, but... Wu Kang's life had been saved by Chu Luren before, and he could not really kill him.

There was no need for him to make things difficult. Just then, Jiang Biehe exclaimed, "Master Lu, you absolutely mustn't!"

"Master Jiang... what instructions do you have?" Lu Chengfeng asked, looking completely bewildered.

"To be honest, I came here for this very reason. Wu Sangui is indeed a villain that everyone should kill. However... times have changed. The Qing army is about to march south. The only way to protect our Han people and our country is to bring in strong foreign aid."

"Wu Sangui's crimes are indeed unforgivable, but if he is willing to join forces with the Song Dynasty to resist the Qing at this time, he must not let a moment of anger ruin the fate of the people!" Jiang Biehe looked conflicted, but his eyes were very firm, vividly showing his inner struggle of not wanting Wu Sangui to get his way, but also not wanting the Song Dynasty to be defeated... No way!

Chu Luren then realized what mischievous idea the old man was plotting.

Is the Qing army about to march south?

This is a charade between you and that guy surnamed Qiu, isn't it?

Chu Luren breathed a slight sigh of relief. If Jiang Biehe had always maintained his patriotic and people-oriented demeanor, he wouldn't have known what Jiang was really up to. But now that his true colors had been revealed, he was easier to guard against.

It remains to be seen whether this hypocrite is actually helping Wu Sangui, or helping some influential figure in Lin'an who wants to join forces with Wu Sangui or whose interests align with his...

Chapter 314 Mei Chaofeng

Because of his preconceived notions about Jiang Biehe, Chu Luren could easily tell that Jiang Biehe and Qiu were putting on a good act!

However, from the perspective of Lu Chengfeng and his son, as well as the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan, it is clearly not the case...

If Jiang Biehe were to demand that they release Wu Kang, they would likely be wary. No matter how eloquent Jiang Biehe is, he would be unable to overcome Wu Sangui's infamy.

However, now there is the blatant scoundrel "Qiu Qianren," who first angered everyone and indirectly revealed the danger of the situation. At this time, Jiang Biehe made a show of being irreconcilable with him, successfully gaining initial resonance. Then, he gradually led this group of fools into his rhythm, which was too easy for him.

At this moment, among the people below, only Huang Rong was using the tip of her folded fan to prop up her chin, seemingly pondering something, clearly not entirely convinced!

"Rest assured, everyone, if this matter gets out into the martial arts world, I, Jiang Biehe, will bear all the responsibility and the infamy!"

"What are you saying, Master Jiang? Do you think we are the kind of people who would abandon the world for a moment's fame?"

"That's right. This matter must not be leaked in the slightest, and even if people find out in the future, it will be a decision we make together."

"I think it would be better if Master Jiang took the lead in organizing a heroes' gathering to unite the heroes of Jiangnan and jointly guard against the Qing dogs..."

"If Hero Jiang were to raise his arm and call upon us, we brothers would certainly risk our lives!"

While Chu Luren was mentally reviewing the actions of Jiang Biehe and Qiu, the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan and the Lu family father and son had already fast-forwarded to the stage of attaching themselves to Jiang Biehe's tail...

Good heavens... Seeing them patting their chests like this, Chu Luren couldn't help but think of the righteous faces of the heroes at the Gathering of Heroes at Juxian Manor, who broke off their friendship with the "Manchu traitor" Qiao Feng. For a moment, he felt both angry and amused.

As for those who weren't down below but on the roof beam, Chu Luren glanced at Huang Yaoshi, but unfortunately, he couldn't discern any expression from his face.

Chu Luren secretly hoped that Huang Yaoshi would see through Jiang Biehe's conspiracy... even if he was just unhappy with Wu Sangui, he could stop the matter in a moment.

With Huang Yaoshi around, Lu Chengfeng would definitely listen to him regardless of whether it made sense or not...

As for Chu Luren personally stopping it?

This is truly the worst possible solution...

Judging from Jiang Biehe's ranking on the Heavenly Ranking, he is most likely connected with the Number One Manor in the World, or rather, with the Divine Marquis—what merit does Jiang Biehe have to be ranked sixth on the Heavenly Ranking? In terms of martial arts, it would be difficult to find three people on the entire Heavenly Ranking whose martial arts are lower than his, while there are quite a few people on the Earthly Ranking who are stronger than him!

The reason he has such a high ranking is twofold: firstly, his public image is indeed very successful, and he is extremely famous now; secondly, there are indeed behind-the-scenes forces promoting him...

The secret Yihua Palace is one aspect, and the support of the Iron-Blooded Marquis is another!

In other words, although Chu Luren had no concrete evidence, he was fairly certain that one of the people who wanted Wu Kang to enter the capital was none other than his Iron-Blooded Marquis.