The Great Martial Arts World: Hot Topics and Great Heroes

At the grand gate of the Iron Mansion, several burly men stood guard. When they saw Chu Luren approaching, they politely inquired about his purpose.

"I am Chu Luren, shamelessly listed on the Earthly Ranking. I have important matters to inform the old hero Tie. I came in a hurry and did not present my visiting card in advance. Please forgive me." Chu Luren said humbly while acknowledging that he was second to last in the rankings.

The burly gatekeeper paused for two seconds, his lips moving slightly—it didn't seem like he was transmitting his voice telepathically. In Chu Luren's opinion, he was probably... silently reciting the Heroic Deeds List!

"So you're the young hero Chu who defeated the four villains and forced the Blood Saber Ancestor to retreat! Please come in, please come in!" the burly gatekeeper said with a憨态可掬 (simple and honest) manner.

Well, friends from Dali, the boasts that Chu Luren made are basically "filtered" by the number one manor in the world. However, in the social circles of the martial arts world, after his achievements are embellished, it sounds like the "boasts" are actually back to reality.

“My master is most pleased to associate with young heroes like Young Hero Chu. We should have introduced him immediately, but today, the renowned Swordsman Shui, also known as ‘Cold Moon Sword,’ is in the manor talking with my master. We may have to wait a while. Please don’t mind, Young Hero Chu.” The burly man who looked like a servant led Chu Luren to a side hall.

Tie Wushuang had other guests, and Chu Luren naturally wouldn't be impolite. Although there were only two days left until the Golden Basin Washing Hands Ceremony, there was no rush!

"Cold Moon Sword... could it be the Water Dai Swordsman, one of the Four Wonders of the South?" Chu Luren also realized at this moment.

Those who are valued so highly by Tie Wushuang are naturally not nobody.

Although the titles of the Four Wonders of the South and the Four Eccentrics of the North are not as famous as those of Murong Fu of the South and Qiao Feng of the North, they are still among the top masters in the martial arts world today.

The "Four Wonders of the South" refers to the four sworn brothers known as "Falling Flowers and Flowing Water," with Shui Dai being the fourth among them.

In "A Deadly Secret", the Four Heroes of the South learned that the Blood Saber Ancestor had come to the Two Lakes and immediately prepared to rid the martial arts world of this scourge. However, instead, Shui Dai's daughter, Shui Sheng, was kidnapped. The Four Heroes of the South chased after her all the way from the Two Lakes to Sichuan and then to the snowy mountains of Tibet.

Although the four of the "Four Wonders of the South" were all as skilled in martial arts as Xue Dao, they were not as good at actual combat as Xue Dao, but were better at psychological warfare. In particular, the third brother, Hua Tiegan, became a treacherous villain after being frightened out of his wits. As a result, the other three heroes, apart from Hua Tiegan, all died in the snowy mountains, which led to the fate of Di Yun and Shui Sheng.

In "A Deadly Secret", Shui Dai's performance can be said to be completely opposite to Hua Tiegan's. Not only did he show great heroism when he was chasing Xue Dao at the beginning, but he also maintained a chivalrous spirit even when his elder brother and second brother were killed by Xue Dao and he himself had his legs cut off.

Although she mistakenly believed that Di Yun was a disciple of the Blood Blade Sect, after discovering that Di Yun harbored good intentions, she pretended to scold him before her death, but actually advised Di Yun to "repent and change his ways".

Compared to Hua Tiegan, Shui Dai was merely "less skilled" until his death, and his heroic image as one of the Four Wonders of the South and the Cold Moon Sword was not ruined.

"Indeed, it is the Water Hero." Zhuang Ke said with great admiration.

Just as they were halfway there, another servant hurried over and said that Master Tie had invited them.

Clearly, they weren't planning to wait until after talking with Shui Dai before meeting the Chu Lu people who suddenly showed up. It's very likely that... Shui Dai would also be present.

Sure enough, when Chu Luren arrived at the main hall, there were already two "elderly people" sitting there, one as host and the other as guest.

The man in the main seat appears to be much older, but he is tall and strong with an upright posture. His white beard is trimmed in a way that is neither ostentatious nor lacking in majesty, clearly indicating that he possesses external martial arts skills.

In contrast, the guest looked much younger, but his hair and beard were already gray, and his features appeared more "kind." He was dressed in a style that was both common and traditional, and his eyes were exceptionally bright, suggesting that he had mastered internal martial arts.

Judging from the host and guest, the former is none other than Tie Wushuang, the leading figure in the martial arts world of Hunan, while the latter is Shui Dai, who happens to be a guest in the mansion!

Especially behind Shui Dai, there were two young people standing prominently, a man and a woman. At first glance, they looked like a handsome couple, full of energy and exuding confidence from the inside out.

The man looked to be around the same age as Chu Luren, probably in their early twenties, while the woman appeared to be in her late teens...

It was clearly Shui Dai's daughter, Shui Sheng, and his personal disciple, Wang Xiaofeng!

Judging from Shui Sheng's age, Shui Dai is considered to have a child late in life.

Shui Sheng and Wang Xiaofeng were not only childhood sweethearts, but also known as the "Twin Heroes of Bell and Sword," ranking eleventh and twelfth on the list of heroes, making them outstanding among the rising stars of the martial arts world.

"Junior Chu Luren pays respects to Heroic Elder Tie and Heroic Master Shui." As soon as Chu Luren entered the room, he took the initiative to cup his hands in greeting to the two.

"Haha, Young Master Chu, there's no need for such formalities. You've made a name for yourself in Dali, ranking high on the Earthly Rankings, and you even thwarted the Four Fiends and Blood Blade, among other villains. To achieve such a feat at such a young age is truly admirable. Please take a seat!" Tie Wushuang said, gesturing to the other guest seats.

Chapter Thirty-Three: Famous Martial Arts Masters

In the reception hall of the Tie residence, Tie Wushuang, Shui Dai, and Chu Luren chatted happily, making everyone feel at ease.

Before coming to Tie Wushuang's mansion, Chu Luren had already memorized his "homework," praising Tie Wushuang's commendable acts of righteousness. Later, after hearing from the Jianghu servants in the mansion that Shui Dai was also there, he also took out the chivalrous list and recited it on his way to the front hall under the pretext of relieving himself.

Shui Dai is old and rarely travels the martial arts world anymore. He has no hot topics and no great power or influence, so he was naturally removed from the Heavenly Ranking long ago.

However, the "Four Wonders of the South" are well-known. Although they are not enough to keep Shui Dai on the list without any hot topics, Lao Dalu Tian Shu has always been at the bottom of the list and is now 30th!

Moreover, Shui Sheng and Wang Xiaofeng are both from renowned families, and if they possess exceptional personal qualities, they should be able to rank on the list of successful individuals.

The story of Lu Tianshu and the Twin Swordsmen also included some of Shui Dai's life. Chu Luren glanced at it a few times in the restroom, and now, when praising someone, he was full of erudition and perfectly appropriate references...

With Shui Sheng and Wang Xiaofeng, two such prominent "young masters" on the list, Chu Luren naturally praised them as well.

But... neither of them seemed to appreciate it much? Shui Dai, on the other hand, seemed quite happy!

It's actually quite normal. Chu Luren has already figured out the rules of the "Human Ranking". In fact, the top of the Human Ranking is always more prominent than the bottom half of the Earth Ranking, and it's a symbol of having "backing".

However, Shui Sheng was still young, and Wang Xiaofeng was somewhat like a hothouse flower. At this moment, he was like a rebellious teenager, feeling that the Human Ranking and the Earth Ranking were "children's" stuff.

Naturally, they felt some envy and jealousy towards the Chu Lu people who were around the same age as them. However, with Shui Dai present, they wouldn't be impolite; at most, they would just feel slightly resentful.

"Young Master Chu, have you come all the way to Hunan to pursue that villain, Blood Saber Ancestor?" Shui Dai then took the initiative to bring up Chu Luren's purpose.

"The Blood Saber Ancestor is cunning and treacherous, especially skilled in actual combat. He is adept at using terrain and people's hearts in battle, making him extremely dangerous... However, I am currently just traveling the martial world and have no particular purpose." Chu Luren did not mention Duan Yu.

Firstly, "children and grandchildren have their own blessings," and Chu Luren, being a good brother, didn't specifically seek him out; secondly... this is, after all, within the territory of the Great Song Dynasty, and it's best not to reveal the fact that the heir to the Dali royal family had been kidnapped.

Previously, Shangguan Haitang's transfer caused the Chu Lu people to lack trust in the Divine Marquis's Mansion and even the Song court!

However, both Wang Xiaofeng and Shui Sheng curled their lips when they heard Chu Luren's words, especially the former... his expression control was terrible!

This time, it's not the fault of others, since Chu Luren brought up how powerful the Blood Blade Ancestor was for no reason, which seemed to be an attempt to elevate himself.

The fact that Tie Wushuang and Shui Dai didn't show any unusual reaction only shows that they are seasoned veterans with excellent control over their expressions.

However, Chu Luren only wanted to remind Shui Dai that Blood Blade Ancestor was difficult to deal with!

It wasn't appropriate to reveal it directly, since Chu Luren didn't know whether the Blood Saber Ancestor had come to the Song Dynasty with Kumārajīva or had already returned to the Blood Saber Sect on his own.

Furthermore, considering her age, when the Blood Saber Ancestor kidnapped Shui Sheng in "A Deadly Secret," she should have been around twenty years old. If this timeline also applies to this world, then it shouldn't be a recent event...

Of course, Chu Luren did not believe that the Dharma name of his junior brother Benyin, Benguan, Bencan, and Benxiang was "Yideng". He also did not think that everything was as he knew!

"Since there's nothing wrong, that's great! You can stay at the manor for a few more days, and I can introduce you to some old friends!" Tie Wushuang was very enthusiastic, and as rumored, he liked to mentor younger generations. His "old friends" were undoubtedly renowned figures in the Hunan martial arts world.

In Tie Wushuang's view, Chu Luren was young and already ranked on the Earth Ranking. He was talented and needed help, so he was naturally willing to help him.

However, Chu Luren clearly did not have the leisure to stay for more than a few days, and hurriedly said, "Thank you for your kindness, Elder Hero Tie. I have come here without permission because I have something to ask of you."

Even though it was their first meeting and he wanted to ask for a favor, Tie Wushuang still asked him kindly.

Such things are quite common. Not to mention young and promising "young heroes" like Chu Luren, some impoverished "great heroes" who are sometimes really short of money and don't yet have the goal or ability to rob the rich and help the poor can, if they are in Xiangtan, pay a visit and give a hint... and when they leave, they can get a farewell gift ranging from tens to hundreds of taels of silver.

If things really get really tough, Tie Wushuang will directly recommend someone to a security escort agency.

Of course, Chu Luren wasn't in such a predicament. As a 90s kid who grew up playing Japanese RPGs, fighting monsters to replenish his wallet was just a daily routine for him!

So Chu Luren told the whole story of how he "coincidentally met the Songshan disciples who were hiding their identities", how he "analyzed Songshan's purpose through their invitation to wash their hands of the Golden Basin", and how he "heard that they wanted to kill his whole family".

However, after Chu Luren finished speaking, he noticed that Tie Wushuang's expression was somewhat conflicted, especially the disciples behind him, who were even looking at Chu Luren with some resentment!

"The Songshan Sect is located near the ancestral home of Zen Buddhism, and is supposed to be a prestigious and orthodox sect. How could they act so ruthlessly?" Tie Wushuang was clearly also dissatisfied with the phrase "killing the whole family," but...

The disciple behind Tie Wushuang then advised, "Master, since this is a matter for the Five Mountains Sword Alliance, we don't need to interfere, right? Fourth Senior Brother was also invited to Hengshan City before. If this is true, I believe that Fourth Senior Brother and other senior experts from the Hunan martial arts world would not stand idly by."

Even he himself couldn't say that. How could the "Fourth Senior Brother" and the "Master" going in person have the same impact?

Chu Luren then realized that this disciple of Tie Wushuang clearly harbored some dissatisfaction with the "Five Mountains Sword Alliance"!

That makes sense when you think about it...

Originally, we were all martial arts sects in Hunan. Suddenly, your Hengshan Sect allied with Guanzhong Mountain, Zhongzhou Songshan Mountain, Hedong Hengshan Mountain, and Qilu Taishan Mountain, forming the Five Mountains Sword Alliance. What a show of power! Is Hunan too big for you?

Although nominally intended to counter the Sun Moon Cult, the Five Mountains Alliance actually damaged the "regional" nature of each faction from the very beginning.

If Songshan were to attack any other martial arts figures from Hunan, renowned figures like Tie Wushuang and Shui Dai wouldn't tolerate such recklessness. However, the situation with Hengshan Sect is rather delicate!

Shangguan Haitang hadn't had time to remind him of these things before, and Chu Luren only realized it now, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

This world... it's really tough to survive here!

But at that moment, Tie Wushuang stopped his disciple and asked Chu Luren, "I wonder what the relationship is between Young Hero Chu and the Hengshan Sect?"

"It's nothing, I just heard it..." Chu Luren answered truthfully.

"Who in the Liu family does he have connections with?" Tie Wushuang asked again.

"Well... actually, I only know Mi Weiyi and Brother Mi. We met when they sent me the invitations," Chu Luren said apologetically.

"Then why did you come to the Liu family and seek help from me?" Tie Wushuang asked, staring at Chu Luren.

"This junior has been presumptuous. It was just... something I couldn't stand for a moment." Chu Luren felt increasingly embarrassed. He had come to bother Tie Wushuang because he couldn't stand it. Now that he thought about it, it really wasn't a good thing.

Furthermore, Chu Luren had already planned how to break the deadlock if he were alone. As for Songshan? He couldn't stand it anyway, so what if he offended him? At worst, he could just go to Zhongzhou less often in the future. The world was vast, and Zuo Lengchan was not going to do nothing but chase after him all day long.

But just then, Tie Wushuang suddenly laughed and said, "Hahaha, if even a junior like you can't stand it, how can I sit idly by? Bai Qiong, go and make arrangements. Tomorrow morning, we'll go to Hengshan City together and see what kind of hands Liu Zhengfeng is washing!"

Chapter Thirty-Four: Moves and Techniques

The world of martial arts is treacherous; you never know when you might slip into a ditch. But sometimes, the world of martial arts is also wide, and Tie Wushuang is truly righteous!

That evening, Tie Wushuang entertained Chu Luren at his residence and allowed him to stay overnight.

Although there isn't much time, the fact that Tie Wushuang is willing to go is already admirable. There's no reason to rush him.

Before resting in the evening, Chu Luren, having done nothing wrong, wanted to stroll around the courtyard of the Tie residence to digest his food.

Just then, the Bell and Sword Duo and some young disciples of the Iron Clan gathered together, and Wang Xiaofeng was sparring with a disciple of the Iron Clan wielding a single sword...

Shui Dai originally only wanted to send his daughter and disciple to Hengshan City, but it just so happened that Tie Wushuang was going there in person, so he decided to go as well. Wang Xiaofeng and Shui Sheng naturally stayed at Tie's residence.

However, Wang Xiaofeng is at least ranked eleventh on the Human Ranking. Tie Wushuang is mainly known for his loyalty and righteousness, but in terms of martial arts skills, he is not as good as Chu Luren. His disciples... are even fewer who have achieved anything!

It's obvious that Wang Xiaofeng was intentionally letting his opponent have a chance to practice.

After several dozen moves, the Iron Manor disciple jumped back, sheathed his sword, clasped his hands and said, "Brother Wang's swordsmanship is superb, he has already received the true teachings of Senior Shui, I am far inferior to him."

Wang Xiaofeng also enjoyed the cheers around him and even said a few humble words to everyone.

Chu Luren also began to understand something. Wang Xiaofeng's martial arts were clearly characterized by his techniques—his internal strength was not as good as Chu Luren's.

Moreover, perhaps due to the exchange of techniques, there was no sign of swords or spears between the two sides.

The Chu Lu people can now distinguish that there are still some differences between the so-called "moves" and their own "techniques".

Wang Xiaofeng's sword moves are really just a series of basic techniques, while One Finger Divine Skill, Six Meridian Divine Sword, Lingbo Steps... are all detached from these basic techniques and belong to the category of "internal energy circulation methods".

Just like in the "One-Finger Divine Skill" manual, although there are acupoint techniques, those are minor details. What is really important is how to transform internal energy into the finger strength of the One-Finger Divine Skill.

The reason why the Six Meridian Divine Sword is completely different from ordinary finger techniques, and even when it is integrated into "Pulse Summoning" as a supplement, it greatly increases its attack range, is not because the posture when striking the finger is different from that of the One-Finger Divine Skill, but because of the difference in the way the internal energy is circulated!

Although the Six Meridian Divine Sword also has "sword moves," and the Tianlong Temple Six Meridian Sword Formation is based on it, these sword moves are not the Six Meridian Divine Sword itself. You can't simply imitate the pose to turn your finger strength into sword energy; it's merely the way to use the Six Meridian Sword Energy...