The Great Martial Arts World: Hot Topics and Great Heroes

“Oh…” Ma Guangzuo was good-tempered, or rather, he didn’t care whether others addressed him respectfully, but he was still a little hesitant.

Yun Zhonghe's eyes lit up and he said, "Old Ma! Hurry up and get started, I'll treat you to a whole roasted beef later!"

"Yes!" Upon hearing this, Ma Guangzuo's eyes lit up and he nodded repeatedly.

Chu Luren realized at this point that he had suspected before that this person might be Ma Guangzuo—one of the five great masters under Kublai Khan in the original work, along with the Golden Wheel Monk and the Three Heroes of Mongolia.

However, this person's strength is slightly inferior to Xiao Xiangzi, Yin Kexi, and Nemo Xing. Moreover, he is not a bad person; on the contrary, he has some childlike innocence. He is also the only one among the five masters who genuinely befriends Yang Guo. When he saw Yang Guo and Xiaolongnu reunite, he sincerely wished them well. Afterward, he listened to advice and stopped associating with the others...

It is said that this person was a strongman from Xinjiang. Now, the central and western parts of Xinjiang are occupied by the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, while the eastern part near Longyou is the territory of the Western Xia Dynasty. It is not surprising that Ma Guangzuo would be in Yipintang.

Seeing that this fellow could still wield the bronze cudgel, while Qiao Feng, though still standing, seemed to be no longer able to fight, Chu Luren knew he could no longer hesitate!

Duan Yu wanted to go forward and fight Ma Guangzuo, but Chu Luren stepped forward first and stuffed the antidote for the Sadness-Soothing Breeze from his bosom into Duan Yu's hand.

"Leave him to me, you give your brother the antidote!"

Helian Tieshu: ? ? ?

This script was somewhat unexpected for Helian Tieshu. Originally, Ma Guangzuo was supposed to easily defeat everyone and then calmly detoxify them, but how come...

Of the three people on the other side, only half of one was injured?

If we had known this would happen, we would have been better off having all the Western Xia warriors rush in and wear them down!

"Nurhaci! You idiot, stop poisoning! Let the brothers outside in!" Helian Tieshu changed his tune.

Duan Yu was overjoyed to receive the antidote—"Aren't we all safe now?"

Just then, the Western Xia people outside gradually gathered in, but they all covered their mouths and noses with cloth and followed closely behind.

The poison was placed inside the palace, so it was only effective inside the palace. The Western Xia people outside were not poisoned. However, when the poison was at its most concentrated, they dared not come in directly, otherwise they would be directly infected and would not be able to help!

Seeing that Duan Yu was about to detoxify Qiao Feng, they rushed in, one hand covering their mouth and nose, the other holding a knife. Some tried to stop Duan Yu, while others wanted to slash at Qiao Feng...

Chapter Ninety-Six: Kill If You Want

The Western Xia people outside, who were not poisoned, took advantage of the reduced toxin concentration in the air and rushed in, covering their mouths and noses with damp cloths. The "Sad Breeze" changes when it comes into contact with water, reducing its toxicity. This is why it can only be released into the air and cannot be placed in food!

Even without using the unreliable Six Meridian Divine Sword, Duan Yu could easily handle the situation with just the Lingbo Steps. No matter how many people there were, they couldn't hit him without a combined attack.

At first, Duan Yu was worried about Qiao Feng, but then he discovered that even after the Western Xia people surrounded him, Qiao Feng was still able to sweep away a group with one palm. Although he seemed to be holding back, it was probably because each time he struck, the "Sorrowful Breeze" became more effective, but it was enough to intimidate the Western Xia people for a while!

Chu Luren then faced Ma Guangzuo, and after a few moves, he realized that this guy was not to be trifled with...

To date, Ma Guangzuo has never used any internal energy. Chu Luren suspects that he has never practiced any internal martial arts. However, he has already mastered this external hardness skill to an extraordinary level.

Or perhaps it's superhuman strength?

This is precisely why he was able to ignore "Sad Breeze" to some extent—the effects of Sad Breeze are mostly targeted at internal martial arts; the more one exerts their internal energy, the more their physical strength will be blocked.

As for those who do not understand internal martial arts, even a fraction of the medicine's effect on the body is enough to knock them down.

Even someone with external martial arts skills identical to Ma Guangzuo, if they understand internal martial arts, will still be affected by the medicine's influence on their internal energy during the circulation of their internal energy...

However, Ma Guangzuo knew nothing of internal energy cultivation and relied entirely on external skills. Naturally, the effects of the medicine were only about 10-20% effective for him. Furthermore, his strength was too great, so even 10-20% of the medicine's effect only slightly weakened his stamina.

Previously, Ma Guangzuo was able to withstand two or three of Qiao Feng's palm strikes, and his complexion looked even better than Xiao Xiangzi's. This was precisely the reason—those who understand internal martial arts, such as the palm strike, will suffer less injury the deeper their internal strength. However… he completely failed to understand that if his meridians were blocked, they would not be "shocked" and would only be injured by pure external force. His muscles, bones, skin, and flesh were sufficient to buffer external force!

There are very, very few people who have cultivated their physical skills to such a high level without ever practicing internal energy cultivation.

Generally speaking, it's difficult to master external martial arts without cultivating internal energy and focusing solely on physical training. Such a martial artist would be instantly killed by a single palm strike from Qiao Feng...

Chu Luren was now facing Ma Guangzuo, and he was quite troubled. However, Ma Guangzuo was clearly not as good as the Western Xia warrior who resembled Murong Fu. After Chu Luren had an epiphany, he was able to completely suppress him.

Although he dared not take the blow of Chu Luren's bronze cudgel head-on like Qiao Feng, Ma Guangzuo was completely helpless against Chu Luren's Kunyou Void. On the contrary, Chu Luren's "Dancing the Universe" was particularly effective against him.

To others, the "Dragon Crane Grand Capture" combined with "Flower in Full Bloom" is stronger in countering moves, while "Dancing the Universe" focuses on harassment. However, for Ma Guangzuo...

He's full of weaknesses!

However, the strength is too great, and it is purely physical strength, making it difficult to subdue. Unlike the "Dragon Crane Great Capture" and the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms," it is ultimately not a martial art that directly causes harm.

On the contrary, "Dancing with the Universe" was particularly effective against Ma Guangzuo—his meridians contained no internal energy, so he was naturally unable to stop the infiltration of the "Dancing with the Universe" finger force...

This is different from ordinary palm force. It can penetrate directly instead of simply blasting or shaking. Therefore, it has no internal force and is actually at a disadvantage when it comes to the finger force of "Waving the Universe".

After Chu Luren discovered this, he was greatly impressed. Knowing more martial arts might not have a limit to improvement, but it would allow him to deal with various situations.

Just as Chu Luren was preparing to unleash a powerful attack with his finger movements, ready to get Old Ma into a frenzy, a "splat" sound rang out...

Duan Yu lay on the ground, the porcelain bottle containing the antidote shattered, the mixture inside emitting a pungent, unpleasant odor. However, Chu Luren felt that it was distinctly different from the antidote he had smelled before!

Chu Luren: ? ? ?

You're not a little girl, why are you trying to trip and fall on flat ground?

Just as Duan Yu was dodging left and right, and was about to approach the empty circle surrounding Qiao Feng, a bearded man who looked familiar to Chu Luren somehow "bumped" into the front row and "coincidentally" tripped him with his leg...

However, the bearded man who had tripped Duan Yu had already pulled his leg back, pretending that he couldn't get up, and lowered his face so that no one could tell anything was wrong.

After all, there were plenty of Western Xia people dressed like him lying on the ground, making it easy for him to hide...

Even Duan Yu himself couldn't tell who tripped him!

In fact, given Duan Yu's skill in "Lingbo Weibu" (a martial arts technique), even if he were to trip and lose his balance, he would be able to recover. However, when he was tripped, Duan Yu felt his lower body become disoriented, and his feet were no longer as responsive as usual, causing him to fall to the ground.

Duan Yu quickly got up, wanting to collect the scattered powder, but Qiao Feng said, "Third brother, don't move! The Western Xia people's 'Sad Breeze' poisoning method is complicated, and the antidote is also complicated. If the powder is mixed together, it will be ineffective... Third brother, go and search for other antidotes in Helian Tieshu's arms."

This bottle originally contained a layer of medicinal powder, a layer of pine shavings, another layer of medicinal powder, and so on, with several different kinds of medicinal powder interspersed, so that it would smell effective.

Seeing that Chu Luren had blocked the only remaining major attacker from the enemy, Duan Yu was also prepared to risk trying to capture Helian Tieshu. At this moment, the Xixia people who rushed in from outside had already protected Helian Tieshu.

But just as chaos erupted, a voice outside, speaking in broken Mandarin, suddenly shouted: "Stop! Or else, we'll kill!"

A large number of people arrived outside, and nearly half of them were "dragged" over—they were Beggar Clan elders, hall masters, and some disciples with six or more bags of wealth, all dressed in tattered clothes.

At this moment, they were all powerless and were dragged over by the Western Xia people, clearly to be taken hostage!

"Hahaha, Chief Qiao, you should spare the lives of your old brothers. It's good that you surrender." Helian Tieshu felt confident again.

And by then, his subordinates had already given him the antidote, and after smelling it, he was able to stand up on his own.

When the Beggars' Sect members saw Qiao Feng, they felt both ashamed and embarrassed. After all, they had just "driven away" Qiao Feng, and now they had even implicated him who came to rescue them.

"Chief Qiao! Don't worry about us! Kill these corrupt officials from Western Xia!" Wu Changfeng was the first to shout.

A Western Xia warrior standing nearby stepped forward and slapped Wu Changfeng several times, leaving his mouth full of blood, yet he continued to curse and swear...

Just then, a Western Xia man offered to detoxify Xiao Xiangzi and the others. Originally, the martial arts practitioners recruited by Yipintang, along with Chu Luren and the others, were inside the Buddha Hall. The Western Xia man holding hostages outside was outside the hall, while Helian Tieshu and the Western Xia man protecting him were behind the incense burner in the back hall...

Seeing that someone else was coming out from behind the palace to try to detoxify Xiao Xiangzi, Chu Luren could not stand it. He rushed forward and kicked Xiao Xiangzi in the chest, sending him flying. Blood flowed from all seven orifices on the spot, and it was clear that he would not survive!

"What are you doing? Believe me or not..." Deputy General Nurhai glared angrily, drawing his sword and brandishing it at the Beggar Clan hostage.

"Kill! Kill those with lots of bags, are two enough?" Chu Luren retorted sharply, seemingly unconcerned about the lives of the Beggars' Sect members.

For a moment, the Western Xia people dared not move. After all... they were not sure if Chu Luren truly did not care about the hostages. Logically speaking, since he was not a member of the Beggars' Sect, it was normal for him not to be willing to put himself in danger for them!

Chapter Ninety-Seven: The Fearless Chu Luren

"You bastards! Just kill them if you want, why all the nonsense? If your grandpa Chu blinks even half a blink, I'll be a man!" Chu Luren passionately incited the Western Xia people to kill the Beggar Clan hostages.

Helian Tieshu and Nurhai: ...

The Western Xia people couldn't help but marvel at the profoundness of Central Plains culture—was it even appropriate to say that at this time?

Just as the situation reached a stalemate, Chu Luren secretly estimated the distance between Ma Guangzuo and Helian Tieshu, and also weighed in his mind how much the swirling finger force lurking in Ma Guangzuo's meridians could move him...

"Chen Youliang, weren't you so righteous in Xingzilin? Let me ask you, now that we need you to sacrifice yourself to thwart the Western Xia's conspiracy, are you willing? Or do you want to live a life of ignominy?" Chu Luren asked, pointing at Chen Youliang.

Chen Youliang's eyes darted around for a moment as he was questioned by Chu Luren, but he still forced a smile and said, "A true man should die if he has to..."

Unlike Quan Guanqing, Chen Youliang, though somewhat petty and opportunistic in his actions, was absolutely fearless of death.

If he is afraid of death now, his reputation will be completely ruined, and he will never have the chance to realize his grand ambitions in the future.

Once he has established his power, he may not care about his reputation in the martial arts world. However, he still wants to use his reputation to earn his first pot of gold for his uprising. Chen Youliang's ambition is so great that even his shady master probably underestimates it.

"Well said! Let the Western Xia people see what the heroes of the Beggars' Sect are like—their heads are as big as bowls when they fall off!" Chu Luren said, and suddenly darted towards Chen Youliang.

The Western Xia man who had a knife to Chen Youliang's neck was startled and was about to swing his knife to block Chu Luren when Chu Luren pulled and yanked him, directly controlling his arm and slashing the knife back at Chen Youliang.

Helian Tieshu has been in charge of Yipintang for quite some time and has been dealing with people in the martial arts world for a long time, but it is rare to see someone so "stubborn" as to directly kill hostages to intimidate the kidnappers!

Fortunately, the deputy general Nurhai was nearby and quickly pulled Chen Youliang over. A knife almost grazed Chen Youliang's body as it fell. Anyone could see that Chu Luren was not "pretending" to be indifferent.

even……

At this moment, his face clearly showed undisguised disappointment!

"Tsk tsk, it seems the Western Xia people don't want you to die? You two didn't discuss this in private, did you?" Chu Luren sneered.

As he spoke, he glanced at the other nine-bag elders, seemingly wanting to kill the rest...

"Protect the hostages!" Helian Tieshu shouted immediately.

However, just as the Western Xia people's attention was drawn to the entrance of the main hall, Chu Luren suddenly activated the dancing finger power within Ma Guangzuo's body.

Ma Guangzuo was originally in the hall at this time, facing Chu Luren at the hall entrance, with his back to Helian Tieshu and his guards. This was to prevent Chu Luren or Duan Yu from taking action to protect the king.

However, at that moment, Ma Guangzuo suddenly spread his arms and then leaned back sharply!

Because he had no internal energy, Ma Guangzuo had not even realized that there was finger strength lurking in his meridians. Now, by using the finger strength to pulsate in his meridians, he could drive his body movements with almost no hindrance and with great ease.

Even with this difficult backward jump, the ordinary Western Xia guards were sent tumbling to the ground upon impact...

"You... Ouch!" Helian Tieshu had just uttered a sound when Ma Guangzuo swung the bronze staff in his hand in a circle. Even though he was wearing armor, he felt a tightness in his chest and a blockage in his throat after being grazed.

At the same time, Ma Guangzu awkwardly jumped over the fallen Helian Tieshu, and kicked him into the hall with his heel. Chu Luren, who was prepared, had already turned back and caught Helian Tieshu.

Although the man had been cured of the poison, he did not know any martial arts. Chu Luren pinched his Jianjing acupoint and lifted him up like a chicken in his hand.

"Stop!" Chu Luren shouted at the Western Xia people who had surrounded them.

"Listen to him, listen to him!" Helian Tieshu shouted hurriedly after feeling the fingers pinching his throat.

Unlike the Beggars' Sect members, Helian Tieshu clearly lacked the courage to die for his cause, and the Western Xia guards were even less likely to disregard Helian Tieshu.

"What kind of sorcery is this?" Ma Guangzuo asked, his voice a mixture of fear and indignation.

At this moment, the power of his dancing fingers had been exhausted.

"Haha, Brother Ma, don't worry, don't worry. We'll definitely make sure we deliver on our promise of a big meal. Even if these beggars starve to death, you'll still get your share!" Chu Luren said deliberately.