The Great Martial Arts World: Hot Topics and Great Heroes

The "Dream God" cannot be equipped with "Heart" and "Power," but uses the same Heart and Power as the original body.

However, in terms of "qi" and "technique", Chu Luren estimated that if he ate crabs for five or six years, he might be able to reach the meridian aptitude of an average person, but even if he ate crabs for fifty or sixty years, he would not be able to reach the level of a martial arts prodigy. If he could live to the age of Zhang Sanfeng and spend his life eating crabs, then it would be possible for him to reach that level!

"If the crabs aren't fresh, they're too cold. Although the crabs in Chang'an are all from nearby rivers, Brother Chu, don't be so picky... Can't you just eat fish?" Wang Yuyan said with concern when she saw Chu Luren wanting to buy crabs so early in the morning.

"No, actually I feel like my brain is still working fine lately!" Chu Luren said definitively.

"Comprehension" is a difficult thing to measure. In fact, not everyone who looks smart has high comprehension. Some seemingly dull people are actually geniuses in terms of comprehension. However, it is true that brain-boosting supplements are beneficial to "comprehension".

Of course, the inconvenience of preserving and purchasing crabs means that the people of Chulu will still mainly rely on salted fish as their staple food...

"By the way, Miss Li and Miss Hong, if you're not in a hurry to go to the ancient tomb, would you please accompany Yu Yan to stroll around today and buy some new clothes?" Chu Luren asked the two of them.

Wang Yuyan usually pays attention to her clothes. Although she is not willful, she will not complain much when she is traveling around the world and the conditions do not allow it. But when she has some free time, she naturally wants to change her old clothes. Besides, the winter in Guanzhong is completely different from that in Jiangnan. Wang Yuyan's autumn and winter clothes were all bought casually on the way.

Moreover, even if Li Mochou doesn't say it, she definitely wants to go back in style. However, she would never bring up things like buying clothes, which is so out of character for her.

“Alright! Master, let’s go together!” Hong Lingbo said, partly out of her own feelings and partly to give her master a way out.

Li Mochou frowned and said, "Alright."

Accompanying women shopping for clothes is the most troublesome thing, and Chu Luren didn't want to go along, so after breakfast, Chu Luren and Wang Yuyan and the others went their separate ways—the women went to buy clothes, while Chu Luren went to buy salted fish and crabs...

As for the clothes of the Chu Lu people themselves?

It seems Chu Luren is about to abandon his image of being dressed in flowing white robes...

After all, with a suona horn on one side of his waist and two jars on the other, and many jars hanging around the saddle when riding a horse, it would be difficult for him to "float" even if he was dressed in white.

The two items were not in the same market, and the Chu Lu people even came to the more chaotic market because they wanted to buy some pamphlets that the imperial court did not allow to be sold.

Chu Luren walked down the street, openly displaying the sword he usually kept hidden.

Immediately, a man wearing a straw hat and a long robe furtively grabbed Chu Luren by the roadside, looked around warily, and then slightly opened his robe to ask, "Want a book?"

"The latest issue."

"They're all new!"

"Get a book..."

A list of chivalrous deeds for October costs ten taels of silver!

It's already November. In the major cities of the Song Dynasty, the new chivalrous lists for each quarter are released simultaneously at "Tianxialou". In the Qing Dynasty, however, it's half a month or even a month later, and there's no "Tianxialou" with a plaque hanging openly. The Qing Dynasty isn't stupid; they won't allow the subordinate businesses of the number one manor in the world to open up everywhere!

In the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, let alone the "Tianxia Tower," even the "Heroic Register" itself was a contraband. If a respectable family collected it, it would be confiscated and the person exiled if discovered by the officials.

Of course, if the Mongol Yuan dynasty were to see uprisings everywhere, and the imperial court's control over the martial arts world were already very weak, it wouldn't be so easy to suppress it; it would just inevitably be more expensive.

After Chu Luren got his hands on it, he flipped through it and couldn't help but purse his lips—it was still a copied version, crudely made and with messy handwriting, but he'd better just make do with it!

After reading it, my brow furrowed even deeper...

Just as Chu Luren was in a bad mood because of the rankings, the market was slightly chaotic—this remote market was mostly frequented by people from the martial arts world, and government officials rarely came here.

Chu Luren stopped someone, inquired briefly, and learned the following...

It turned out that Tian Boguang had appeared in Chang'an City, right in the market where Wang Yuyan and the others had gone. Moreover... just as Tian Boguang was about to kidnap someone, he was countered by a "beautiful Taoist nun." This was a perfect opportunity for everyone to eliminate demons, uphold justice, and make a name for themselves!

Chapter 119 Absolutely Daring

The list was released on the first day of the tenth month of the fourth year of the Tiansheng era. Chu Luren was in Guanzhong, so he didn't see it in Chang'an until November.

However, upon seeing this, Chu Luren felt a surge of resentment.

Chu Luren didn't say anything about being demoted in the rankings, after all, he hadn't done anything that would be widely known in the past three months.

If the story of how Chu Luren defeated the Eastern Heretic's "Azure Tide Song" with a single song could become known, he might steadily rise in rank. However... no one is promoting this for him, and Chu Luren himself doesn't dare to be too ostentatious. Using the Eastern Heretic as a stepping stone might feel good in the short term, but he might face retaliation later!

After all, Huang Yaoshi, who seems to be the most carefree of the Five Greats, is actually the most awkward and sensitive. Chu Luren has always suspected that he was born in July or August...

Although the details of what happened at Luzhuang are unknown, Lu Guanying and others at least knew the earlier part of it, and it was reflected on the chivalrous list, but its influence was too small.

The Earth Ranking is not as stable as the Heaven Ranking, since there are too many candidates at the same level, and getting on the list is basically based on popularity.

Therefore, Chu Luren had already anticipated his ranking dropping; sixty-one is sixty-one...

However, to Chu Luren's dissatisfaction, Qiao Feng was actually removed from the Heavenly Ranking!

Although the booklet emphasized that the Number One Manor under Heaven had not yet determined that Qiao Feng was the true culprit in the recent murders in the martial arts world, and that Qiao Feng had only been temporarily removed from the list due to the turmoil in the martial arts world and the resistance from various factions, it also stated that it hoped Qiao Feng would go to the Number One Manor under Heaven to take the initiative to explain, etc...

But Chu Luren felt that this was kicking someone when they were down, and that he was intentionally trying to convince others of this. After all, it was obvious that Qiao Feng would not heed his suggestion.

Just because someone is suspected, they're removed from the list?

Yu Canghai wasn't even a suspect before, but he suddenly made the list!

Chu Luren was furious at the double standards of the number one manor in the world. Just as he was feeling frustrated, he heard that Tian Boguang had come to Chang'an. More importantly, it was very likely that the scoundrel wanted to make a move against Wang Yuyan and the others.

Chu Luren immediately used his lightness skill, stepping on rooftops and disappearing into the distance.

Although Chang'an was the capital of many dynasties, after the Mongol Yuan dynasty occupied Guanzhong, it did not understand construction or manage the city well, and the control of the government offices in the city was not great.

Even so, for Tian Boguang to dare to commit a crime in such a large city shows that he not only looks down on the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, but also on the martial arts world of Guanzhong!

Fortunately, Tian Boguang not only failed this time, but also got pricked...

Actually, Tian Boguang had other intentions when he came to Chang'an this time. However, he was bound to commit some crimes eventually, and out of respect for his identity as a lecherous thief, he simply picked a few.

As a result, in a market town frequented by women, Tian Boguang discovered Wang Yuyan and was immediately awestruck by her beauty. If he hadn't been busy with other matters, he would have loved to fully immerse himself in his job as a lecherous thief!

And they acted faster than they thought...

Only after making a move did they discover that this pretty girl was accompanied by two female Taoist nuns, one older and one younger. The younger nun was just an ordinary young and beautiful girl, while the older nun, despite her stern face, was incredibly alluring.

When Tian Boguang saw the Taoist nun, his heart skipped a beat—after all, his current predicament was because he had gotten involved with a nun a few months ago... he was really having a run of bad luck!

Seeing the Taoist nun again made him feel a little awkward, but this slight awkwardness vanished the moment he saw Li Mochou's appearance.

Tian Boguang was determined to make a big move, but... his spirit was crushed by Li Mochou!

If it weren't for Chu Luren's persuasion on the way, telling Li Mochou not to kill so easily, causing her to hesitate and not immediately shoot the poisoned Ice Soul Needle, Tian Boguang would probably be lying dead on the streets of Chang'an this time.

Even without using poison needles, Li Mochou's martial arts skills are slightly superior to Tian Boguang's...

Moreover, Tian Boguang knew that he dared not fight Li Mochou. In such a crowded place, he could only tie her up and leave, otherwise all the martial arts practitioners in the city would come to eliminate the demon and protect the righteous.

Actually, if he hadn't been pushed to the limit this time, Tian Boguang wouldn't have made such a big blunder. He knew all these difficult female warriors and enchantresses by heart, and he should have been able to recognize them even if he had never met them before.

However, Tian Boguang was already out of sorts, and Wang Yuyan's beauty had him completely captivated and confused!

Tian Boguang unleashed his Gale Blade Qi, showcasing all thirteen moves of Flying Sand and Stones, but even he couldn't gain any advantage against Li Mochou's whisk.

The two fought from the street to the alley, and from the alley to the rooftop. Tian Boguang was in grave danger and unable to escape.

"Hehehe, so it's the Crimson Serpent Fairy in person! I thought she was a fairy from heaven!"

"If the fairy wishes to stay, why bother me? With just one word, will there be no place for the fairy beside me?"

"I heard that back then, the fairy liked a pretty boy surnamed Lu, but that pretty boy didn't appreciate her goodness... What? Has the fairy finally had a change of heart and changed her taste, finally realizing the charm of us good brothers?"

Seeing that he couldn't hold on any longer, Tian Boguang quickly started spouting lewd remarks. Li Mochou had been traveling the world for many years and was usually immune to dirty jokes, but having her sore spot exposed made her resentful!

Although he was not about to be defeated, his hasty move was instead feinted by Tian Boguang, giving him a chance to catch his breath and allowing him to escape.

"Hahaha, it seems the fairy doesn't want me to stay. Then let's have some fun with the pretty boy first. There will be a day when he'll know the merits of us good brothers..." Tian Boguang managed to escape the battle, but his mouth was still not behaving properly.

In fact, it was already a well-known story in the martial arts world that Li Mochou and Chu Luren had traveled together from Jiangnan to Guanzhong.

Just then, a whooshing sound came from the air—Tian Boguang was indeed sharp-eyed and quick-witted. After all, without the ability to see in all directions and hear from all sides, he would have already set a trap to kill and eliminate the scourge.

Upon hearing the sound, Tian Boguang's wrist moved faster than his mind, and he immediately raised his knife to block...

With a loud "DUANG" sound, what appeared to be just a small pebble flying out and being blocked by Tian Boguang's knife was not the crisp sound of ordinary hidden weapons colliding, but rather had the sound of a bell being struck!

Even the fierce wind and sword energy on the blade were scattered by the impact, and only after directly hitting the blade did it shatter. Tian Boguang then spun two and a half times in the air to dissipate the force.

Looking in the direction from which the pebbles flew, Tian Boguang immediately spotted Chu Luren, an old acquaintance, who was also on the rooftop. Judging from the "dolphin running style" with the Kun fish aura surrounding him, it was clear that the rumors of Chu Luren's increased strength were true!

Especially considering the distance between the two at this moment, and the pebble, Tian Boguang felt a sense of foreboding!

Besides "faster light footwork," the only way to counter light footwork during a dash is through these "long-range attack" methods.

If it were just Chu Luren, Tian Boguang might have risked going up to test his skills in close combat. However, with Li Mochou by his side, how could he possibly win?

How could Tian Boguang dare to stay any longer? He used his lightness skill to turn around and flee!

Chu Luren had already been clutching more than one pebble in his hand, and with two "whoosh" sounds, he threw them at Tian Boguang's knee...

"Hahaha, so you're the sworn brother of Chief Qiao, traveling with Fairy Chilian? I wonder if you've been to Luoyang before? I won't interfere with your affairs, please, please... Ouch!" Tian Boguang roared as he "spread rumors" and sped away.

Unfortunately, Chu Luren's projectiles were ultimately less accurate, only hitting his calf.

Although Tian Boguang was in pain, he scrambled a few steps, but his leaping momentum did not diminish!

Chu Luren was furious at his shout, fearing that there might be some uninformed enemies of Qiao Feng around who might make things difficult for his female companion. Li Mochou was not afraid, but there was still Wang Yuyan who did not know martial arts.

Furthermore, in Chang'an, the capital of the Mongol Yuan dynasty, people from other regions, including those in the martial arts world, were wanted by both the legitimate and illegitimate factions. Although enforcement was not very strict at first, now that trouble had arisen, a search would definitely begin soon. Therefore, Chu Luren did not pursue them for the time being, but instead took Wang Yuyan and the others away first...

Chapter 120 Luring the Tiger Away from the Mountain

"That Tian Boguang has some nerve! He dares to commit crimes even in Chang'an!"

"The Quanzhen Sect is currently being targeted by the Mongol Yuan dynasty, and its disciples dare not easily leave the mountain, naturally giving these evil heretics an opportunity..."

"What can we do then? It is said that a few days ago, we happened to encounter the Crimson Serpent Witch Li Mochou and the Red and White Tai Sui Chu Luren, which is why we failed."

"Speaking of the Red and White Tai Sui, it is said that he is a sworn brother of Qiao Feng. Could it be that the demon... cough cough, Qiao Feng will also come to Guanzhong?"

"And then there's the Crimson Serpent Witch... Heh heh, what's she up to, getting involved with the Red and White Tai Sui?"

Outside Chang'an City, at the mouth of the Laoyu River, a roadside tea stall.

Groups of martial arts practitioners were discussing how Tian Boguang had come to Guanzhong and even committed a crime in Chang'an, almost succeeding in his scheme.

Unbeknownst to them, Chu Luren and the others, who were the parties involved, were also at the same tea stall. In order to keep a low profile and to protect themselves from the wind and sand, the three of them specially brought straw hats, and Li Mochou and her disciples did not wear Taoist robes.

Hearing someone call her the Crimson Serpent Witch behind her back and chuckle, Li Mochou wanted to give them a few needles, the kind with poison!

However, just as she was about to get up, Chu Luren pressed her arm down. Seeing Chu Luren constantly giving her meaningful glances, she reluctantly sat down.

Noticing the commotion at the other table, the group of martial artists assumed it was Qiao Feng's supporters and became more reserved. One of them, a bearded man, changed the subject, saying, "Ahem, let's talk about that lecherous Tian Boguang! It's a pity that the four of us brothers... even if we get together with my senior brother and the others, we're definitely no match for him. If the Quanzhen Sect refuses to come out of seclusion, are we just going to watch him run rampant?"

"Why don't we try going to Zhongnan Mountain? What if Master Ma and the others agree to help? Wouldn't we be able to get on the list of heroes just like when Hongbai Taisui rescued the Liu family? We can do it all with just a word!" A skinny man who looked quite clever said with a glint in his eye.