The Great Martial Arts World: Hot Topics and Great Heroes

The reason why Wudang's attitude towards the Ming Cult was "conflicted" rather than "hostile" was primarily because Yin Susu and Zhang Cuishan were, after all, husband and wife. If Zhang Wuji were still alive, with this pivotal figure in their lives, the relationship between the two sides could have been much more amicable. Unfortunately, Zhang Wuji had been missing for a long time, and in the eyes of the Wudang heroes, he was probably already...

As for the main reason, it is that the Ming Cult was ultimately the first major anti-Yuan force with a clear banner. Although the Ming Cult was fragmented after Yang Dingtian and the connection between the local rebel armies and the headquarters was much smaller, dozens of large and small rebel armies within the Yuan-Mongol territory were all operating under the banner of the Ming Cult.

As for Wudang, unlike the Quanzhen School which refused to cooperate and actively spread its teachings, Wudang, led by Zhang, was determined to fight against the Mongol Yuan Dynasty.

From this perspective, Master Zhang did not want to fight the Ming Cult to the death.

However, since things have come to this point, Master Zhang can no longer pretend not to see it, so he decided to send all five disciples. With Song Yuanqiao and Zhang Songxi in charge, he should be able to handle the situation well.

At the same time, with all five heroes of Wudang present, they can exert considerable influence over the decisions of various factions.

……

After leaving Zhang Zhenren's secluded retreat, Chu Luren visited Shui Dai again. By then, Shui Dai had been sent to Wudang. However, Zhang Zhenren had no good solution for Shui Dai's condition, and simply told Shui Sheng, "Only with utmost sincerity and nature can one be moved."

In other words, talk to your dad more, and maybe he'll wake up.

"Miss Shui, there's no need to worry. I believe your father is a lucky man, and when he wakes up, I hope the first thing he sees is you looking haggard," Chu Luren comforted her, seeing that Shui Sheng had become even thinner.

"Yes, Brother Chu, don't worry, I understand." Shui Sheng forced a smile.

Chu Luren thought for a moment, realizing that Shui Sheng's bad mood might have other reasons, so he asked, "How is your cousin?"

“Dead!” Shui Sheng said irritably.

"Huh? How did he die? So young, how could he just die like that..." Chu Luren almost laughed out loud with regret.

"Brother Chu, do you know what it means to ask something you shouldn't have, or what it means to say something in anger?"

Chu Luren: ...

Chapter 574 Methods

"Master Zhang, you flatter me. If even the heroes of Wudang have no solution, what can I possibly do?" Chu Luren said helplessly.

Just now, Master Zhang actually suggested to Chu Luren that he go to Bright Peak and try his best to mediate between the various factions so as not to harm the foundation of the Ming Cult!

As expected, in the end, Master Zhang still disliked the Tartars more.

However... Chu Luren still liked the previous bottom line requirement that one must not "commit crimes or commit heinous acts".

To some extent, Chu Luren wasn't wrong.

Although Chu Luren believed he possessed several martial arts techniques capable of defeating Yu Lianzhou, the strongest among the Wudang heroes—and that he only needed to activate the incomplete Fighting Ape Ultimate Technique to achieve this, without needing any sudden enlightenment…

But when it comes to mediating between different factions and acting as a peacemaker, Chu Luren is truly no match for the heroes of Wudang.

After all, Wudang's reputation is well-known, and everyone respects it. Especially Zhang Zhenren himself, if he really wanted to use the resistance against the Yuan Dynasty as a reason to protect the Ming Cult, who would want to go against Zhang Zhenren?

Extinction might be an option, but such people are few and far between and won't amount to much.

Master Zhang certainly understood this, but...

He couldn't do that. On one hand, the death of Zhang Cuishan and the crippling of Yu Daiyan made it impossible for him to convince himself. Although a Taoist cultivates his spirit and calms his mind, he doesn't just die. He still has a lot of anger left.

On the other hand... the other five heroes, especially Yin Liting, could never let go of their grudges against the Ming Cult.

Master Zhang knew that Yin Liting had secretly practiced a technique that would lead to mutual destruction, but he could not persuade him otherwise. He could only gratefully name the technique "Heaven and Earth Live Together," which meant sacrificing oneself for righteousness.

Under these circumstances, Master Zhang is also unable to intervene.

and so……

"Those involved are often confused, while bystanders see things clearly. Young Master Chu is just a passerby, so they will naturally listen to what he says," Master Zhang said insincerely.

Chu Luren looked at him with a wronged expression—"Do you even believe what you're saying?"

Should I also be a rebel leader with two children? Please vividly describe the tragic experiences of my family under the rule of the Yuan Dynasty, as well as the great achievements of the Ming Cult rebels.

"Alas, I know this is a difficult matter, but let us do our best and leave the rest to fate!" Master Zhang said with a sigh.

In any case, this gave Chu Luren even more reason to make a trip to the Bright Peak of Kunlun in the Western Regions—because of his master's uncle and master's uncle's affairs, he was bound to make a trip to the Western Regions in the past two years.

Moreover, Chu Luren thought about it and decided that it would be better for him not to travel with the Wudang heroes this time.

After all, the two sides had different goals...

As Chu Luren descended the mountain, he pondered the matter of the Ming Cult for a moment.

Once the encirclement by the various factions is complete, Bright Peak, the headquarters of the Ming Cult, which is usually the most dangerous and fortified stronghold, will become its greatest weakness...

Originally, Bright Peak was located in the western part of Kunlun Mountain, in the desert. It was not realistic for the Yuan army to launch a long-distance expedition. If there were too many people, the supplies would not be able to keep up, and if there were too few people, there would not be enough food for the Ming Cult masters.

However, if the various Jianghu forces besiege Bright Peak, the desert will also hinder the Five Elements Banner's return to the aid. After all, the Ming Cult originated from rebellion. Even disregarding the various righteous armies under different banners, the Five Elements Banner alone has tens of thousands of people!

However, not to mention that because everyone was dissatisfied with Yang Xiao, they were scattered in various places, and even if the Five Elements Banner wanted to come back to help, they could only have a few hundred people at most. If they really dragged tens of thousands of people into the desert, the Ming Cult could not afford it.

As a sacred site of the Ming Cult, Bright Peak was something the Ming Cult could not give up. Even the Ming Cult masters who originally ignored Yang Xiao in the original work could not bear to see Bright Peak fall, and one by one they were like the Calabash Brothers rescuing their grandfather. This made this heartland a weakness!

This is why, in the original work, each side sent dozens of people, and they actually managed to reach Bright Peak—in this respect, they really did something that even the Yuan army couldn't do.

Chu Luren was not without a plan to break the deadlock, or rather, to fish in troubled waters, but upon closer examination, every plan had its flaws!

One option is to go to Lingjiu Palace on Misty Peak of Tianshan Mountain, not far northwest of Bright Peak, and ask my senior uncle for help. The advantage is that the Nine Heavens and Nine Departments are probably no weaker than the current headquarters on Bright Peak, and there are also demons and monsters from the Thirty-Six Caves and Seventy-Two Islands. If these two hosts join forces, they might be able to put up a tough fight...

According to Chu Luren's understanding of the major sects, if things reach this point, they will most likely disband.

However, the drawback is that even Chu Luren might not be able to handle the matter of his senior brother!

Emei had arranged for various sects to besiege Bright Peak, but judging from the long distance involved, even Emei in Sichuan was not close to Bright Peak. For Southern Shaolin to come, the journey would be even more arduous, requiring them to traverse mountains and rivers. Even though they were all skilled fighters and traveled extremely quickly, the alliance meeting was scheduled for the beginning of summer next year.

According to Wu Yazi's calculations, the day when the flaws in Tong Lao's technique would manifest would be either this winter or next winter.

Chu Luren had originally planned to travel to the Tianshan Mountains in the Western Regions during the winter...

Secondly, Chu Luren could ask the sect leader's sister for help. After all, in the vast martial arts world, the Sun Moon Sect and the Ming Sect are considered "relatives." When the time comes, Dongfang Bubai, along with the ten elders and four hall masters, will set up a fight at Bright Peak... and there will be plenty of opportunities for them to clash.

However, the flaws are also obvious. Putting aside whether Dongfang Bubai is willing or not, what if Ren Woxing steals Blackwood Cliff at this time? Is this a tactical base trade?

Moreover, even if everything goes smoothly, if this leads to the unification of the Ming Cult and the Sun Moon Cult, the leader's sister might become even more arrogant and would definitely kick Wu Sangui out and go it alone!

Thirdly, the Chu Lu people could use underhanded tactics to find the two envoys who reward good and punish evil—good heavens, they were just worried about finding someone to send out invitations, and you guys have already gathered together?

At that time, it won't just be one or two people feeling guilty; the so-called alliance of major factions might just fall apart right then and there...

The drawback is that the two envoys who reward good and punish evil are just troublemakers. They can fish in troubled waters, but they are definitely not on the side of the Ming Cult. Yang Xiao is on the Heavenly Ranking and is not afraid of the Punishment Order, but there is more than one Yang Xiao in the Ming Cult.

While the righteous army is indeed a righteous army, there are also many lawless members of the Ming Cult who, under the guise of punishment, are not unjustly punished.

Fourth, to catch the thief, first catch the king. If we can find out the mastermind behind it all, namely the Prince of Ruyang’s mansion, then no matter how big the grudge is, as long as the evidence is conclusive, who would dare to risk being accused of colluding with foreign enemies?

This is the best method, but the drawback is... Chu Luren doesn't know how to do it!

Zhao Min wasn't stupid. At that time, people from various sects were advancing on Bright Peak, but they still didn't discover them. Besides the fact that Cheng Kun was a traitor, it must also be because they were really well hidden.

Chu Luren thought about it carefully—fortunately, there was plenty of time now. Even if he were to take Liu Sheng Piaoxu with him, he would be much faster than the major sects in reaching the western part of Tianshan and Kunlun Mountains. He could arrive before October.

I'll go to Lingjiu Palace first to see if my master will have a relapse this year. If he does, then I'll try to resolve the feud between my master and uncle first. After that, my master should be more agreeable. If he's fine this year... then I'll take my leave!

After all, if Granny Tong were alright, she might be unhappy with him, the sect leader's nephew...

Chu Luren complained inwardly, "Master, you can't even remember the exact year that Tong Lao lost her powers? Do you know that's scumbag behavior?"

As the sect leader's disciple, should I criticize you or not?

Even my former teacher's wife can remember that, okay?

Asking the sect leader for help can be done at the same time. Although there are risks, Chu Luren thinks that with Ren Woxing hiding in the shadows, the sect leader is unlikely to come to the Western Regions in person. However, sending someone to lend a hand should not be a problem.

As for Zhang San, Li Si, and Princess Zhao Min, well, we can only rely on luck!

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 575 Journey to the West

When Chu Luren, Lianxing, and Piaoxu mentioned it, they only said that they were going to Tianshan to "visit" a senior master, mainly for the purpose of the major sects besieging Bright Peak next year.

With all the major sects besieging Bright Peak, Chu Luren isn't afraid of Liu Sheng Piaoxu passing on the news to Shenhou; in fact, the Dragon Guard Manor should already know the news by now...

There was no need to keep his involvement a secret; in fact, Chu Luren hoped that, out of consideration for counterbalancing the Mongol Yuan dynasty, the Divine Marquis could stop some of the martial arts sects.

However, Chu Luren would definitely not let Liu Sheng Piaoxu know the real reason for going to find Tianshan Tonglao, otherwise what if Shenhou also wanted to take advantage of his misfortune?

However, Chu Luren and Lianxing revealed this matter privately!

"The Heavenly Child Granny of Lingjiu Palace? So she really is from the Xiaoyao Sect." Lianxing exclaimed in realization after hearing this.

Lianxing had indeed heard of Lingjiu Palace. Although it was a secluded sect, it was like Yihua Palace, where they all took in women who were "orphaned and helpless". Therefore, Yaoyue and Lianxing knew about this place, knew about Tianshan Tonglao, and even knew some things about the Xiaoyao Sect.

However, the true appearance of the Heavenly Child Granny remains unknown, as does the bizarre and complex web of love and hate within her...

"You've heard of Lingjiu Palace before?" Chu Luren asked curiously.

“Yes, there are records in the Yihua Palace that it was the training ground of the Xiaoyao Sect. I just don’t know how it became the Lingjiu Palace. So my sister and I have always guessed that the two might be related.” Lianxing said.

It seems that the Yihua Palace has quite a few classic texts passed down!

"Do you know how skilled the Heavenly Mountain Child Granny is in martial arts?" Chu Luren was particularly concerned about this matter.

Master Wuyazi has been paralyzed for so many years and has never seen Tianshan Tonglao, so his estimate may no longer be accurate.

“She’s definitely above me. As for my sister… she should be able to handle her.” Lianxing gave her estimate.

Although she had never met Tianshan Tonglao, she could still make comparisons based on some of her records of actions—Tianshan Tonglao wasn't always as reclusive as she is now; didn't she go to Fuzhou to destroy the Yizi Huijian Sect back then?

Xiuyu Valley Yihua Palace is also located in the south, in the Leizhou area—where spring is in full bloom all year round.

In Lianxing's judgment, she was probably at a level that surpassed her own and was close to her sister's.

"If we join forces, can we escape unscathed?" Chu Luren asked in a different phrasing.

Lianxing remained silent for a while, and Chu Luren didn't ask any more questions—perhaps they could escape, but to get away unscathed would probably depend on luck.

Even when he, Lianxing, and Murong Jiu joined forces, they couldn't stop Yaoyue from hurting people.

“If my senior sister-in-law were to lose her power this year, she would certainly be very weak. I’m worried that if the Divine Marquis knew, he might also have some wicked ideas. This matter must not be known to Liu Sheng. When we get to the Tianshan area, I will go to Lingjiu Palace alone to take a look. You will keep an eye on her for me then,” Chu Luren specifically instructed.

"Don't worry, Chu Lang," Lian Xing said with a smile.

Chu Luren once again mourned Liu Sheng Piaoxu, perhaps... this was the price of calling Lianxing "sister".

After a few days, Chu Luren bid farewell to Zhang Zhenren and the heroes of Wudang. Yin Liting and Mo Shenggu escorted Chu Luren all the way to the mountain gate.

"Brother Chu, have a safe journey. We should be able to meet again after the New Year, right?" Mo Shenggu said with a meaningful gesture, clasping his hands in a fist salute.