The Great Martial Arts World: Hot Topics and Great Heroes

Leaving Xie Xun aside, the three old monks in this cave were indeed not to be underestimated. The two weaker ones were still above the Xuanming Elders and close to Yang Xiao and Ren Woxing when he was fully buffed. The third one was even better than Lianxing.

Of course, this is only the result of "seeing" – it includes not only internal strength, but also the influence of momentum and mind.

However, one cannot discern the "body" and "technique" unless one's physical training reaches a point where there are obvious abnormalities in the blood and qi, or one's training in techniques generates special strength; only then will one have a faint sense of these aspects.

For example, there was a subtle, harmonious, and strange energy emanating from the three monks...

How it actually goes in a fight will only be known after the match is over.

Just like Yang Xiao's internal strength is above either of the Xuanming Elders, even in a one-on-one fight, if he is afraid of the Xuanming's palm power and dares not confront it head-on, it would be difficult for him to defeat either of them. Chu Luren always felt that he was somewhat hindered by the "Great Shift of the Universe".

He had no qualifications but insisted on practicing, wasting thirty years to finally master the first two levels...

Chu Luren felt that if he were "shined" by Lianxing, he would be about the same as, or even slightly inferior to, Lianxing, except that he had a lot of "strange" forces in his body.

However, in his current state, he should be able to win more often than lose against a fully recovered Lianxing!

As for the three people in the cave, they must be the "Three Crossings"!

If we take them individually, Chu Luren is confident he can defeat the strongest one—Chu Luren's internal strength is slightly inferior, but if we consider "mind" and "momentum" in balance, they are already about equal, while Chu Luren's external skills are definitely stronger.

After all, Chu Luren possessed numerous unique skills that could be applied to various situations. In terms of body training, Chu Luren had extracted the body training portion of the "Indestructible Vajra Divine Skill" and, after integrating it, its strength was further enhanced. The "Three Crossings," on the other hand, were quite old and could not be perceived as possessing any profound body training skills.

However, if they were to join forces and fight three against one, the outcome would depend on whether the "Boundless Universe Skill" could remove their "Vajra Subduing Demon Circle"!

If it succeeds, Chu Luren can easily take on three opponents; if it fails, then there will be more to come…

For reference, in the original work, Zhang Wuji's "Great Shift of the Universe + Sacred Flame Token Skill + Tai Chi", which is the complete Zhang Wuji, was unable to affect the Three Elders' "Vajra Subduing Demon Circle Formation" to kill each other. At most, it could only deflect their force.

Thinking of Zhang Wuji in his complete form from the original work, Chu Luren felt a little eager to try it out—I should be just as good!

When Zhang Wuji faced the three elders of the Shaolin Temple, he had basically acquired all the ultimate martial arts techniques he had learned. Upon their first encounter, he felt that the strongest of them, Du'e, was superior to him. In the end, they fought a total of three times...

The first time was when I was scouting the situation. I acted impulsively and ended up barely managing to protect myself. I felt that if I didn't retreat, I would lose my life.

The second time was when he went up with Yang Xiao and Yin Tianzheng, but Yang Xiao and Yin Tianzheng couldn't hold on first and could only barely block the weaker Du Nan. Zhang Wuji alone took on the strongest Du E and Du Jie. In the end, he didn't gain an advantage, but he didn't suffer a great loss either.

The third time, after Zhang Wuji had exchanged hundreds of moves with the three men, he forced the three old men to the point where they had to fight with their internal energy. Relying on the rapid recovery of his internal energy with the Nine Yang Divine Skill, and the fact that the three elders were old and frail, Zhang Wuji fought to a draw!

Chu Luren felt that he was no worse than Zhang Wuji. Even if his talent was slightly inferior, his martial arts skills were slightly more profound, weren't they?

After a moment's thought, Chu Luren first strolled around to ensure that the place was very secluded. Even if a fight broke out, the only one who might notice, the Sweeper Monk, wouldn't be so shameless as to use the "3+1" tactic.

Then Chu Luren began to gather his strength—facing a formidable enemy with whom he had no absolute certainty of victory, he had to seize every possible chance of winning!

Once his inner strength had reached its peak, Chu Luren stopped visualizing the Jade Platform, allowing his aura to be detected by the outside world, and began to accumulate external strength...

Suddenly, the chanting of the three monks stopped at the same time, and they looked towards the direction of the courtyard gate—at this moment, Chu Luren was standing in front of the gate, his eyes seemingly trying to pierce through the wooden door, until he saw the three eminent monks in the cave directly opposite!

At the same time, although Chu Luren was full of fighting spirit and seemed ready to make a move at any moment, what San Du felt was... clearly a sense of Zen!

The three of them felt as if a master was about to debate Zen principles with their fellow disciples, and a sense of awe arose in their hearts.

Because the intent to "fight" was very clear in this Zen riddle, none of the three dared to speak first. Instead, they all secretly gathered their energy to confront it!

But this was not merely a contest of vital energy, but also a contest of Zen principles. The three eminent monks of the Du generation felt that the other's Zen principles were more profound, especially in the word "Du"—just look at their Dharma names: Du'e, Du'jie, Du'nan...

These Dharma names also encapsulate the essence of their lives, much like the Zen master Kurong of Tianlong Temple embodies the Zen spirit of Kurong.

Although Chu Luren did not reveal the Zen practiced by Zen Master Kurong in a single sentence like Kumārajīva, his actions at this moment were similar, or even more direct—he was using Zen principles to enlighten the other party!

Chu Luren was already highly accomplished in the Zen Buddhist state of mind, and... as for "overcoming calamities," Chu Luren, who had already overcome six calamities, was very experienced.

In the end, San Du was shocked that the other party had exposed the Zen he was practicing, and he had no choice but to speak first.

"Who are you, esteemed sir? What brings you here to this humble abode in the back mountains?" Du'e asked in his first words: Who are you? Where do you come from? Where are you going?

The opponent had already lost ground by speaking first, and Chu Luren needed to press his advantage!

Just as the three were on high alert, they heard...

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tick-tick-tick—

A loud suona horn sound came in!

The three eminent monks were momentarily stunned – they had thought the other party might debate Zen, but who knew… he started with a suona horn performance.

Just then, the broken door of the Zen temple opened by itself.

Accompanied by a suona version of "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer," Chu Luren walked in step by step, gradually building up his strength, while chanting: "Half Buddha, half Tao, half immortal, a sage who understands both Confucianism and Buddhism..."

Chapter 760 Entanglement

San Du was a genuine reclusive high monk, and the martial arts he practiced emphasized the Zen school, which stressed Buddhist heart and enlightenment. However, in his personal cultivation, he leaned towards Hinayana Buddhism—to overcome his own calamities, tribulations, and difficulties...

They rarely paid attention to the outside world. In the original work, Du'e didn't even know that Yang Dingtian, who blinded him in one eye, had been dead for thirty years. The three brothers usually lived in seclusion in the back mountains. Even when Zhao Min wiped out Shaolin Temple, they didn't make a move.

You could say he's reached a certain level of dedication to staying home...

Unlike others, who would recognize the arrival of Chu Tai Sui upon hearing the suona horn, he was completely unaware of the existence of the Red and White Tai Sui!

The three were quite surprised to see that the newcomer was so young.

"We three old monks have been wandering the world for decades, and we never expected to find such a young talent as you. May we ask your name?" Du'e asked.

Chu Luren was taken aback upon hearing this—You don't recognize me? You don't recognize me... Fine!

"The Ten Supreme Martial Saints, Chu Luren!" Chu Luren announced his nickname, which no one else knew, without the slightest hesitation.

Upon hearing this, San Du was shocked—the Ten Great Martial Saints? What an arrogant nickname! To have such a nickname and not be killed yet, and even gain recognition... one must be a person who dominates the martial world!

"May I ask what brings you here, Your Excellency?" Du'e asked after a moment of surprise.

"Xie Xun and I are destined to meet. I hope the three esteemed monks will show mercy." Chu Luren used the "Destined to Meet" technique.

“Amitabha, we have left Layman Xie here not to punish him, but to guide him. How can you say he ‘raised his hand’?” Du’e was only intimidated by Chu Lu’s arrogant attitude, but he did not think that the newcomer could really take on three people at once.

"Haha, the matter of converting Xie Xun need not be entrusted to the three reclusive gentlemen!"

As Chu Luren spoke, he raised his palm to his chest and performed a Buddhist salute. At the same time, golden light shone brightly around him. The three monks felt a surge of intense Zen energy. Instead of immediately joining forces, Du'e first met Chu Luren's attack with a palm strike, breaking through Chu Luren's initial move, "Buddha's Light Appears."

"The first appearance of Buddha's light" was just a greeting. Then, Chu Luren suddenly leaped up, formed the "Light Gathering at the Buddha's Crown Mudra" with his hands, and condensed the Zen energy around his body into three Buddha Fire Precept Blades, which he thrust straight into the top of the heads of the Three Crossings!

Seeing that the other party had taken the initiative to drag his three fellow disciples into the battle, Du Nan and Du Jie felt that they were being underestimated.

The three of them repeatedly struck out with their palms to defend themselves, and at the same time, they truly felt the Zen spirit in this palm technique, as well as... the essence of Zen martial arts.

It is impossible for anyone who is not well-versed in Buddhism and has mastered all aspects of Zen martial arts to achieve this...

It even includes profound hand mudras techniques from Tantric Buddhism!

At this moment, the three monks had already stood up, and Chu Luren landed among them, forming the "Wisdom and Auspiciousness Mudra" with his hands and chanting the word "Padme". Instantly, the surrounding Buddhist light surged and rippled, blooming in all directions like lotus flowers.

Although the three monks each used their palms to defend themselves, they still felt a jolt and a slight tingling in their bones. These old bones couldn't withstand such torment!

It was only after the "Buddha's Palm" was combined with the hand seals of Tantric Buddhism and transformed into the "Buddha's Seal Method" that the "Boundless Buddha Dharma" technique gained the profound meaning of "tremor".

"Set up the formation!" Du'e didn't stand on ceremony and immediately ordered the three of them to join in.

The three of them pulled out a long black rope. This rope was neither gold nor jade, neither hemp nor silk, and it had the property of being flexible and adaptable when they were twirled.

Seeing that the three had formed a triangular formation around him, Chu Luren dared not be careless. In a flash, he took out four short blades from his bosom and threw them out.

In terms of hidden weapon techniques, from the most famous "Ten Unfettered Techniques" to the Finger Flicking Divine Skill and the Ice Soul Needle...

Chu Luren possessed countless skills, and this seemingly casual throw was enough to make Young Master Wuhen praise him as a master.

Seeing that this "Ten Great Martial Saint" was using the Buddhist palm technique well, he suddenly threw out hidden weapons. The Three Elders were still angry. They saw that the black ropes in their hands were now like black dragons, which pulled the four hidden weapons aside and made them lose their power.

But at that moment, the power of the four "hidden weapons" was restored, as if they were in a cycle.

Du'e's only eye flashed with a sharp light, and he saw the mystery of the internal force retained in these four short weapons, which had something in common with the Great Sumeru Palm of Zen Buddhism...

At the same time, four short weapons appeared as if they had transformed into four peerless swordsmen. Their sword styles were either unparalleled in their uprightness, or they used softness to overcome hardness, or they used wide and open movements to break through skill with force, or they used nothing to penetrate the space between things, but they all revolved around the word "break".

Every place they attacked was where the three men had exhausted the power of their black ropes.

However, Chu Luren immediately realized something was wrong. The black rope did not seem to be "swung" at all. The force was smooth and rounded. On the contrary, the short sword was easily ripped off by the black rope because of insufficient true energy.

At the same time, three black ropes entangled Chu Luren. Chu Luren dared not be careless and used all his strength to unleash the "Boundless Force of Heaven and Earth," attempting to make the three black ropes attack him head-on...

However, as soon as they made contact, Chu Luren realized that he couldn't stick to it!

Du'e has cultivated the Yi Jin Jing to the point of "reflecting emptiness and clarity," which is not only the original version of the Yi Jin Jing, but also a very profound realm.

The inner strength is profound and clear, which gives rise to a sense of emptiness and clarity.

Taoism says "great fullness seems empty" and "great perfection seems incomplete," while Buddhism seeks emptiness through reality...

Reaching this level, one's internal force is without any sharp edges, without any force or way to attack. When Chu Luren's "Qiankun Wuji Gong" attacks him, it can make him slide away to the sides, but it cannot turn him back and make him attack himself!

The original version of the Yi Jin Jing requires one to see through the illusions of self and others before one can practice it.

Chu Luren had previously strolled around the Southern Shaolin Temple, where most of the other masters practiced simplified versions of the techniques, while a few practiced other internal skills.

Given the original Yi Jin Jing's stringent requirements, it's quite normal that no one has mastered it in one or two generations. I never expected that Du'e would actually succeed...

To reach the highest level of the Vajra Subduing Demon Circle, one must attain a state of "no self, no person, no sentient being, no life span," a state of true emptiness of the four elements.

Of course, whether it's overcoming calamity, tribulation, or hardship, none of these have reached this level.

Especially regarding overcoming tribulations and difficulties, although he can now enter the realm of the Yi Jin Jing, he is quite old and has been practicing for a long time, so he has not changed his practice.

Du'e had already reached the state of "no sentient beings," only the "life-spanning aspect" remained unbreakable. However, in order to cooperate with his two junior brothers, he also yielded to the lower level, unable to unleash the full power of the "Vajra Subduing Demon Circle," and was equally unable to overcome Chu Luren's "Limitless Force of Heaven and Earth"...

Chu Luren fought with the "Buddha's Seal" for dozens of moves, but failed to break the formation. Instead, the surrounding air became increasingly stagnant and sticky!

Then suddenly he used his true energy as a sword and unleashed a sword technique. As the sword energy crisscrossed, it dispersed the stagnant air around him that had been clinging to him like glue...

Chapter 761 Critical Moment

Buddhist palm techniques, masterful swordsmanship, Taoist fist techniques...

Chu Luren tried three different techniques in a row against the Vajra Subduing Demon Circle, exchanging nearly two hundred blows, but still gained no advantage.

However, the Three Monks could not trap Chu Luren with the Vajra Subduing Demon Circle. Chu Luren's sword could break through all laws, which was enough to prevent the Vajra Subduing Demon Circle from continuing to stagnate and expand its advantage. Often, the airflow was just about to form a gel when Chu Luren cut it apart with a few swords.

Taoist boxing, though called "fist," is actually more about intention than fist, whether it's Kongming Fist or Tai Chi.

When air strikes air, neither side can gain the upper hand...

Afterwards, Chu Luren tried the Dragon Turtle Force, which is based on the Eight Trigrams of the Book of Changes, and the Six Qi Finger, which is the pinnacle of the Xiaoyao School's external martial arts, but neither of them could break the combined force of the three.

As for methods of sound manipulation and spiritual guidance, they are still somewhat inadequate in the face of the three old monks.