The Great Martial Arts World: Hot Topics and Great Heroes

"Hahaha, I didn't live in vain this time. A grandmaster who carries on the legacy and opens up new horizons... truly living up to his name." Dugu Qiubai said excitedly.

Chu Luren paused for a moment, then said, "Congratulations, teacher, on fulfilling your long-cherished wish."

Indeed, Chu Luren probably already guessed that he couldn't possibly be having an ordinary dream. It must be Master Dugu's will that triggered his Dao Embryo Spiritual Awareness, which is why he saw him in his "dream".

If Teacher Dugu were in a normal state, he wouldn't have come to see me in this way!

Nine out of ten...

"Indeed, this final battle is my long-cherished wish, but it's a pity..." Dugu Qiubai said with a hint of regret.

"Is there anything else you regret, teacher?" Chu Luren asked quickly.

"It's a pity I didn't use the last half move, otherwise I might have won." Although Dugu Qiubai was "seeking defeat", he did not want to lose without using his full strength.

The reason for only slight regret is that this last move was something Dugu Qiubai had comprehended during the duel. So even if he didn't use half of it, it doesn't mean he didn't go all out, and he was still convinced of his defeat.

"In my entire life, I have only sought defeat, and I have never had a disciple... Since you call me teacher, you can decide what to do with the things in the Sword Tomb! Eagle has followed me for many years. If you have the chance, take it back to Tianshan."

Unfortunately, I never got to use that tenth sword technique, not even knowing if I could, and I can't teach it to you... All I can pass on to you is this last sentence: "Take technique as your way..."

When you've grasped this level, you might as well challenge Master Zhang or his successor. Not on behalf of your master, as my wish has been fulfilled, but perhaps you can witness the scenery then..."

As Dugu Qiubai spoke, his figure grew increasingly faint.

Perhaps it was because he had no disciples in his life, and although he had only known Chu Luren for a short time, Dugu Qiubai still managed to "meet" Chu Luren after sensing the Dao Embryo Spiritual Perception from thousands of miles away. He then explained his final arrangements to Chu Luren, just like a true master and disciple who had been together day and night, and... the essence of the Tenth Sword.

After Dugu Qiubai's figure completely disappeared, Chu Luren also woke up from his "dream".

"My Lord! How are you?" Mei Jian asked, squatting down as soon as she saw Chu Luren open his eyes.

"Nothing... Huh? It's already dawn?" Chu Luren was surprised to find that although he felt fully awake, the "dream" that hadn't lasted long seemed to have lasted so long.

“Last night, around midnight, we arrived in Jiangling and found the Venerable One in deep meditation. Sect Leader Song and the others had already returned to Wudang, saying they were waiting for your arrival there,” Mei Jian recounted, relaying Song Yuanqiao’s words.

At this time, Chu Luren was still on the awning boat, while the Four Swordsmen had already bought the boat.

When Chu Luren and the Four Swordsmen disembarked from the ship, they attracted a lot of attention on the dock—mainly the Four Swordsmen, since quadruplets are quite rare!

As for the Chu Lu people...

Because of the four sword attendants, they also attracted a lot of envious, jealous and hateful glances. Some of them thought darkly: No wonder they could only get up at noon while lying on the boat!

Chu Luren had probably already guessed the outcome of the duel—Dugu Qiubai lost by half a move in the end, and his body, which should have died long ago, also completely perished after the final battle.

Zhang Zhenren must have been in a bad mood as well, after all, he was quite old, and... since Dugu Qiubai regretted that half move in the end, it means that Dugu Qiubai felt that if he could use that half move, he might not have been without a chance.

However, Master Zhang is certainly not in mortal danger, otherwise Dugu Qiubai would not have told Chu Luren that once he comprehends the tenth sword technique, he might as well challenge Master Zhang.

It is clear that Dugu Qiubai greatly overestimated Zhang Zhenren's lifespan...

The reason why Dugu Qiubai died on the spot was partly due to the intensity of the decisive battle, but also because his body was already a "funnel". He then ignored this and forced himself to maintain his best condition to fight Zhang Zhenren after breaking through. Naturally, he could not withstand too much.

Now that he knew the outcome, Chu Luren didn't rush to Wudang. Instead, he first prepared incense, candles, and paper money in Jiangling City to hold a memorial service.

Although Chu Luren felt that, based on what he saw and heard in the dream, Teacher Dugu's spirit should have been completely sublimated and dissipated in the end, and should not involve any ghosts or gods, the purpose of worship was mainly to express the grief of the living, so he did not want to think about it so deeply.

The four sword attendants did not question their master's strange behavior of entering a deep meditation for most of the day without any reason, and then preparing incense, candles and paper money after waking up. Instead, they busied themselves with the preparations.

Finally, Chu Luren hired a carriage and told the driver his purpose. The driver then recommended a hill twelve miles east of the city. Since Master Dugu's remains and cenotaph were not there, this was a remote memorial service. But they couldn't just set up an altar on the street, could they?

I made a special trip to the cemetery outside the city.

Chu Luren arranged the worship ceremony himself, which was not very elaborate according to the customs at the time. Afterwards, he played the tunes of Su Wu Herding Sheep, Thousand Papers, and Crying at Seven Passes. Seeing that it was already night, Chu Luren took his four sword servants and prepared to return to the city to find an inn to rest.

But just then, a strange noise suddenly came from the graveyard!

"Ah!" Ju Jian was startled and even hid behind Chu Luren, but then stood up again with self-reproach.

The other three sisters were also a little creeped out...

"Who's playing tricks on me!" Mei Jian shouted angrily in the direction of the sound, and sure enough, he saw a figure!

After a closer look, Mei Jian said indignantly, "My lord! Someone is robbing a tomb!"

Chapter 658 Revenge

"Miss, please don't talk nonsense. I'm not a tomb raider, I'm... I'm... Anyway, I'm not!"

Mei Jian saw someone digging up a grave that already had a tombstone and immediately called out their actions. The man, somewhat flustered, dropped his shovel and declared that he had not robbed the grave...

"Even if you didn't steal anything, you were still digging up a grave! What deep-seated grudge do you have against this person that you're still not letting him go even though he's already dead?" Mei Jian asked disdainfully.

"No, no, this is my sister-in-law..."

This person was clearly not good with words, and it seemed the more he tried to explain, the worse it got. Fortunately, Chu Luren noticed that the person's voice sounded somewhat familiar. Although he was wearing a straw hat and raincoat, obscuring his face, however…

"Is it Brother Di Yun?" Chu Luren asked, but his tone was very certain.

"Ah? It's... Brother Chu?" Di Yun recognized Chu Luren at this moment and then took off his bamboo hat.

"What you're doing... Oh! You're going to bury your elder brother Ding Dian and your sister-in-law together?" Chu Luren finally realized.

When Di Yun taught the "Shenzhao Scripture" to Chu Luren, he also explained the origin of the "Shenzhao Scripture," so it is not surprising that Chu Luren knew about Ding Dian.

“Indeed! Over the past year, I have also mastered the Shangqing Qigong that you taught me, Brother Chu, and it has subtly combined with the Shenzhao True Qi. I have also mastered the Great Subduing Demon Fist. Only then did I return to Jiangling, intending to first bury Brother Ding Dian and Miss Ling together, and then... seek revenge on those who came before!”

When Di Yun talked about revenge, although he was full of hatred, he still seemed a bit cowardly, like an honest man who had been pushed to the limit, lacking the boldness of a江湖人 (jianghu person).

As for why he wore a bamboo hat and even practiced the Shangqing Qigong to a high level, or more accurately, combined some of the advantages of the Shangqing Qigong before returning to Jiangling, it was because Di Yun was a major wanted criminal in Jingnan!

Imprisoned for raping a woman, and later escaping from prison with the notorious bandit Ding Dian, Di Yun's wanted posters were plastered everywhere in Jingnan—after all, Ling Tuisi was hoping to get clues about the treasure from Di Yun.

Moreover, Di Yun's temperament makes it difficult to discern from his behavior that he is a martial arts master...

Of course, Di Yun was not a "martial arts master" at all, but rather an "honest farmer with very high martial arts skills," but someone really pushed him to the limit.

Di Yun looked at the coffin, then apologized to Chu Luren, saying, "Brother Chu, I will bury Brother Ding and Miss Ling together first."

Ding Dian and Ling Shuanghua were not married in the end. The reason they were called "sister-in-law" before was just to explain it to outsiders.

Di Yun knew that the coffin was poisoned. Brother Ding had died from the poison in this coffin years ago. Although the poison should have dissipated by now, just to be on the safe side, he wrapped his palm with his Divine Illumination True Qi before opening the coffin.

Chu Luren and the four sword attendants had already retreated to the side. Di Yun was doing this to help Ding Dian and Ling Shuanghua, so there was nothing to say. However, it would be impolite for Chu Luren to look into the coffin.

After Di Yun placed Ding Dian's urn inside, he had just lifted the coffin lid when he couldn't help but curse angrily, "That Ling Tuisi is a beast! How could he... how could he..."

Di Yun was shocked to see words on the coffin lid, and... they were scratched out with fingernails!

In order to lure Ding Dian out of prison, Ling Tuisi not only killed his own daughter to set an ambush, but also buried her alive – a truly beastly act.

Originally, Di Yun didn't have the full intent to kill even his enemies, whether it was the Wan family father and son who framed him or Ling Tuisi who killed Brother Ding. After all, for Di Yun, killing people was already the most terrifying thing.

Seeing the scene before him, Di Yun's killing intent toward Ling Tuisi suddenly surged to 70-80%!

"Huh?" Di Yun seemed to have discovered something else. He carefully examined the coffin lid before finally closing it.

After reburying the coffin, he knelt and offered sacrifices before leaving. Seeing that Chu Luren was still waiting for him not far away, Di Yun immediately came over and wrote down a string of numbers for Chu Luren.

"Brother Di, what's going on...?"

“Miss Ling said that she would reveal the clues to the treasure to whoever could bury her with Brother Ding. I saw these numbers in the coffin, so they must have been left by Miss Ling…”

"I only want to rescue my junior sister, then find a secluded place and live a simple life... working at sunrise and resting at sunset, never to set foot in the martial world again. This harmful treasure should be left to Brother Chu to deal with! Lest it be leaked from somewhere else in the future, causing who knows how much bloodshed it will bring." Di Yun said with a sigh.

Chu Luren then remembered that Tianning Temple also had a treasure...

Well, this number can't be said to be useless. After all, if Di Yun hadn't given it to him, the Chu Lu people would have already forgotten about it!

Chu Luren didn't mention that he already knew about the treasure; otherwise... even if Di Yun didn't ask how Chu Luren knew, it would seem too absurd.

For the sake of this Liancheng Jue treasure, countless people have lost their lives and their consciences, but in the end... Chu Luren already knew this, and even forgot about it!

It's not really Chu Luren's fault. After all, Chu Luren has always been a wanderer of the martial world, living a life of pleasure and revenge. Money and such... as long as he doesn't lack it, he's fine with it. So he's never cared about treasures or anything like that.

Unless it's a treasure that's paired with a dragon vein, Chu Luren wouldn't care!

"I'll go help you get revenge first," Chu Luren said, glancing at Di Yun before adding with concern.

If Di Yun's martial arts skills were up to par in the old days, he could probably fight the two envoys of reward and punishment—he definitely wouldn't win, but with a bit of luck, he might be able to survive a hundred moves!

Mei Niansheng's instant resurrection is only at this level...

The Wan family father and son were no match for Di Yun, but he ultimately lacked the mindset of a martial arts master. Facing the old and young beasts Wan Zhenshan and Wan Gui, Chu Luren worried that he would suffer a loss.

“Alright! If Brother Chu is willing to accompany me, then… I can be bolder and keep an eye on the father and son at the Wan residence. As long as someone goes to a secluded place, I will kidnap them, and then…” Di Yun licked his lips, looking somewhat nervous.

With Chu Luren following along, they became much bolder.

Chu Luren was completely bewildered: "What surveillance and abduction? Let's just go to the Wan residence first, then to the Provincial Governor's office, hang their three heads on the city tower, and write down their crimes on the city wall!"

Di Yun broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing this: "Ah? That...that can't be done! Wouldn't that be terrifying...No, no..."

Chu Luren originally wanted to "teach" Di Yun a lesson, but Di Yun then went around in circles, mentioning that he had a junior sister, her junior sister... and a child. It couldn't be too bloody and would frighten the children.

Chu Luren then compromised with him, agreeing to first go to the Wan residence and force the Wan father and son, at least in front of his junior sister, to clear his name. After that, they would use the same methods against him, crippling their meridians and severing their tendons and ligaments...

Chapter 659 This is what a great hero is like!

Chu Luren accompanied Di Yun to the Wan residence in Jiangling Prefecture. Wan Zhenshan was once Mei Niansheng's disciple, but Mei Niansheng was not good at teaching disciples. His three disciples were all ungrateful wretches who conspired to kill their master for the sake of the secret manual and treasure...

Of course, Mei Niansheng also had a trick up his sleeve. His three disciples were all good at external martial arts moves, but they had not been taught the true internal martial arts. In this great martial arts world, they could barely be called second-rate.

In recent years, Wan Zhenshan has stopped paying much attention to matters of the martial arts world, and is almost no longer a part of it.

Liu Zhengfeng's long-cherished dream of retiring from the criminal world has almost come true here at Wan Zhenshan's place.

Because Mei Niansheng didn't value his three disciples much back then, and the three of them were quite low-key, nowadays, few people in the martial arts world have even heard of them.

Wan Zhenshan is now like a true local gentry. When he wants to harm someone, he colludes with the government to frame them, rather than acting impulsively and causing bloodshed.

To some extent, the conflict between Wan Zhenshan and Di Yun wasn't a feud between martial arts masters and gentry, but rather more like landlords and gentry oppressing honest farmers. It just so happened that both sides... no, including Ling Situi from the government, made up three parties, all of whom were skilled in martial arts.

Although the Wan residence is located in a bustling part of the city, it is still a large and prestigious mansion, clearly not an ordinary family.

Chu Luren was still dressed in white. Di Yun was initially worried about being discovered, but Chu Luren told him it was alright. Di Yun couldn't refuse, so he came over with some doubt. However, once he entered the Wan residence...

Chu Luren, who was just behind Di Yun, disappeared in the blink of an eye, even Di Yun himself couldn't find him!

"Brother Chu, are you still there?" Di Yun called out in a low voice, somewhat fearfully.

"Yes." Chu Luren's voice came from an unknown source.

Di Yun is now starting to believe the rumors that Chu Tai Sui can take souls...